On September 1, 2025, at the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus” meeting held in Tianjin, China, President Xi Jinping solemnly put forth the Global Governance Initiative. The Chinese Government also released the Concept Paper on the Global Governance Initiative. This initiative comes at a historic moment marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. It further contributes China’s wisdom and presents China’s solution to strengthening and improving global governance.
The Global Governance Initiative Comes at the Right Time
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 clear deficiencies. In particular, the serious underrepresentation of the Global South, the erosion of authoritativeness in institutions such as the UN, and urgent need for greater effectiveness. Facing various challenges, the international community now more than ever needs to build consensus and stimulate momentum for cooperation. What kind of global governance system to build and how to reform and improve global governance also have increasingly become critical issues of great concern to the international community. Against this backdrop, the Global Governance Initiative comes at the right time.
The “Five Core Concepts” of the Global Governance Initiative
The “five core concepts” of the Global Governance Initiative stem from the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter:
1. Staying committed to sovereign equality. This is the foremost premise of global governance. The essence of sovereign equality is that all countries, regardless of size, strength or wealth, shall have their sovereignty and dignity respected, their domestic affairs free from external interference, the right to independently choose their social system and development path, and the right to participate in, make decisions in and benefit from the global governance process as equals.
2. Staying committed to international rule of law. This is the fundamental safeguard for global governance. International law and international rules are common benchmarks that should be written, safeguarded, and implemented jointly by all countries. There are no exceptions, nor should there be any. Major countries, in particular, must take the lead in advocating and defending international rule of law.
3. Staying committed to multilateralism. This is the basic pathway of global governance. Global affairs should be decided by all, the governance system built by all, and the fruits of governance shared by all. Practice of unilateralism must be rejected.
4. Staying committed to the people-centered approach. This is the underpinning value of global governance. The people of all nations are the fundamental actors in global governance, and their well-being is its ultimate benefit. The global governance system must meet the people’s needs and consistently foster their confidence and belief in a stable future in order to be extensively supported and effective.
5. Staying committed to real results. This is an important principle of global governance. Effective global governance is essentially one that resolves real problems.
The Global Governance Initiative reflects China’s active role and sense of responsibility in international affairs
The Global Governance Initiative is another major initiative proposed by China, following the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). The four initiatives have their respective priorities and can be pursued simultaneously. They inject stability and certainty into a turbulent world from the dimensions of development, security, civilization, and governance, reflecting China’s active role and sense of responsibility in international affairs. Facing an era of overlapping crises, China will continue to stand on the right side of history and human progress, uphold multilateralism, and champion unity over division and cooperation over confrontation. Upholding the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, China will enhance coordination with the UN and all parties to implement the Global Governance Initiative and promote a more just and equitable global governance system and advance toward a community with a shared future for humanity.
Africa, as a vital part of the Global South, is both a key stakeholder in global governance and an indispensable force in the reform of the global governance system. Liberia has long made significant contributions to promoting peace and development in West Africa and advancing regional economic integration. Following its election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Liberia will play an even greater role in global governance. China stands ready to deepen coordination and cooperation with Liberia within the frameworks of the United Nations, the African Union, and beyond, continuously promote the global governance system towards a more fair and equitable direction, and jointly safeguard the legitimate interests of developing countries.
