The Coming Global Governance Initiative

The Proposal Of The Global Governance Initiative Comes At The Right Time

 Sputnik 

On Monday, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) for the first time at the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Plus" Meeting. 

This initiative, following the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), marks another significant proposal by China. It has received high acclaim and active support from all sides. 

At a critical juncture when global governance is like rowing upstream - either advance or retreat - the proposal of the GGI comes at the right time. It not only aligns with the common expectations of the vast majority of countries in the world but also vividly demonstrates China's sense of responsibility as a major power.

As the Concept Paper on the Global Governance Initiative points out, the current international landscape is undergoing changes and turbulence. The UN and multilateralism are being challenged. The deficit in global governance continues to grow. The existing international institutions have shown three deficiencies.

First, serious underrepresentation of the Global South. The collective rise of emerging markets and developing countries necessitates boosting the representation of the Global South and redressing historical injustice.

Second, erosion of authoritativeness. The purposes and principles of the UN Charter have not been effectively observed. Resolutions of the Security Council have been challenged. Unilateral sanctions, among other practices, have violated international law and disrupted the international order.

Third, urgent need for greater effectiveness.

The implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is seriously lagging behind. Issues such as climate change and the digital divide are becoming more salient. Governance gaps exist in new frontiers such as artificial intelligence (AI), cyberspace and outer space. In this context, the reform and improvement of the global governance system have become significant concerns for the international community, with countries around the world eagerly anticipating more perspectives and solutions from China.

In his important speech at the "SCO Plus" Meeting, President Xi systematically elaborated on the five core principles of the GGI: adhering to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating the people-centered approach, and focusing on taking real actions. 

These principles offer profound guidance on the pressing subject of our times of "what kind of global governance system to build and how to reform and improve global governance." 

Among them, sovereign equality is the primary prerequisite for global governance, the international rule of law is its fundamental safeguard, multilateralism is the basic path, the people-centered approach is its value orientation, and taking real actions is an important principle for global governance. 

These five core principles are fully in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, resonate with the evolving trends of international relations, and carry both a strong sense of historical continuity and highly practical relevance.

For instance, in response to the so-called "pseudo-multilateralism," which in reality amounts to forming exclusive "small circles," the initiative clearly affirms its commitment to upholding the authority and central role of the UN.

Concerning the vague rhetoric of a "rules-based order," it explicitly defines the rules as the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Regarding double standards and attempts to impose "house rules" on others, it forcefully advocates that "international law and rules must be applied equally and uniformly."

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