The Global Governance Initiative: A Chance for the Global South and a New Stage of World Politics

On September 1, 2025, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus meeting was held at the Meijiang Exhibition Center in Tianjin City. President Xi Jinping delivered the Initiative at the meeting. Following the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative in his speech, in which he outlined a number of important principles. President Xi Jinping said, "I would like to put forward the Global Governance Initiative and work with all countries to build a more just and equitable global governance system and move together toward a community with a shared future for humanity." He also noted that, "Strengthening global governance is the right choice for the international community to jointly seize development opportunities and solve global problems. At present, the trend towards peace, development, cooperation and win-win results remains unchanged, but the shadows of the Cold War mentality, hegemonism and protectionism remain, and new threats and challenges continue to grow. The world has entered a new period of turbulence and change, and global governance finds itself at a new crossroads." The published document, entitled "Concept Paper on the Global Governance Initiative", noted:
I. Background
The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Eighty years ago, upon deep reflection on the bitter lessons of the two world wars, the international community decided to establish the United Nations, commencing a brand-new practice in global governance. Over the past 80 years, the visions and practice of global governance, i.e. the international system with the U.N. at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter have made historic contributions to maintaining world peace and development.
The current international landscape is undergoing changes and turbulence. The U.N. 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 U.N. 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 U.N. 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.
As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and the biggest developing country, China has all along been a staunch builder of world peace, contributor to global development, defender of the international order and provider of public goods. Focusing on a subject of our times, namely what kind of global governance system to build and how to reform and improve global governance, and regarding it as the fundamental guideline to uphold the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter and practice the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, China proposes the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) to promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system and work together for a community with a shared future for humanity.
II. Core Concepts
1. Staying committed to sovereign equality. This is the foremost premise of global governance. Sovereign equality is the most important norm governing state-to-state relations, and the foremost principle observed by the U.N. and all other international institutions and organizations. 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. Greater democracy should be promoted in international relations to make the global governance system better reflect the interests and aspirations of the majority of countries and to increase the representation and say of developing countries.
2. Staying committed to international rule of law. This is the fundamental safeguard for global governance. The purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter are universally recognized basic norms of international relations. They must be upheld unwaveringly. In emerging areas, international rules should be formulated on the basis of extensive consensus. International law and rules must be applied equally and uniformly, without any double standards or imposition. The authority and solemnity of international law must be upheld. 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. Multilateralism is the core concept of the existing international system and international order. The principle of extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit must be upheld. 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. The U.N. is the core platform for practicing multilateralism and advancing global governance, whose role must be enhanced, not weakened. Other global and regional multilateral institutions should give play to their respective strengths and play a constructive role. All discriminatory and exclusionary arrangements should be avoided.
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. It must seek improvement through reforms in order to inspire, among peoples of all countries, a greater sense of fulfillment through accelerated common development, a greater sense of safety through more effective response to humanity’s common challenges and a greater sense of well-being through advancing the common interests of different countries and communities. 
5. Staying committed to real results. This is an important principle of global governance. Effective global governance is essentially one that resolves real problems. Given the close links among various issues, global governance should be carried out in a more coordinated, systematic and holistic way. It must address both root causes and symptoms to find sustainable solutions. It must both tackle pressing issues and take into account long-term challenges. Developed countries should earnestly take on their responsibilities and provide more resources and public goods. Developing countries, on their part, should pull together for strength and do their best for the world.
III. Way Forward
The GGI 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 GDI focuses on promoting international cooperation on development, the GSI on encouraging dialogue and consultation over international discord, the GCI on promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and the GGI on the direction, principles and path for reforming the global governance system and institutions. The four initiatives have their respective priorities and can be pursued simultaneously. They will each be a source of positive energy for a changing and turbulent world and impetus for humanity’s development and progress.
The “five core concepts” of the GGI stem from the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, and respond to the shared aspiration of most countries. To reform and improve global governance does not mean to overturn the existing international order or to create another framework outside the current international system. Rather, the goal is to make the existing international system and international institutions better at taking actions, working effectively, adapting to changes, responding promptly and effectively to various global challenges, and serving the interests of all countries, particularly developing ones. No matter how the international landscape changes, China will remain firm in safeguarding the international system with the U.N. at its core and the international order underpinned by international law, stand firmly on the right side of history, and join hands with all progressive forces in the world to build a community with a shared future for humanity and make relentless efforts for mankind’s noble cause of peace and development.
We will uphold principles, embrace new ideas, stay open-minded and inclusive, adhere to the principle of extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, and work under the framework of the GGI with all parties to enhance policy communication and coordination, so as to build extensive consensus and enrich the methods and pathways for reforming and improving global governance.
We will leverage the platforms provided by the U.N., relevant international organizations, and regional and subregional multilateral institutions to take active actions with all parties and contribute our thoughts and energy to reforming and improving global governance. Priority will be given to areas where governance is in urgent need and scant supply, such as the reform of the international financial architecture, AI, cyberspace, climate change, trade, and outer space, and to firmly upholding the authority and central role of the U.N. and supporting the U.N. in implementing the Pact for the Future. We would like to increase communication and cooperation in these areas to build consensus, identify deliverables, and bring about early harvests.
Humanity has become a closely intertwined community with a shared future. Enhancing global governance is the right choice for the international community to share in development opportunities and address global challenges. China will strengthen joint efforts with all parties to explore ways to reform and improve global governance, and to open up a bright future of peace, security, prosperity, and progress".

The 80th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations marks not only a historical milestone, but also an important moment to rethink the effectiveness of the current system of global governance. Founded after World War II, the UN and its institutions have served as a guarantor of peace, stability and cooperation for decades. However, the changed global environment presents new challenges that the existing governance architecture is increasingly unable to cope with. The lack of representativeness of the countries of the Global South, the decline in the authority of international law and the ineffectiveness of institutions in solving modern problems - all this pushes us to search for alternative models. It is in this context that China has put forward the "Global Governance Initiative", aimed not at destroying the existing order, but at updating it and adapting it to the realities of the 21st century. The modern international order is increasingly faced with crises of trust and governance. We must agree that there are three key deficits. First, the developing countries, which make up the majority of the world's population, still occupy a peripheral position in global decision-making. Historical injustices persist: from Africa to Latin America, many states lack the necessary political weight, and the lack of representation of the Global South is obvious and detrimental to the entire world and the world order. Secondly, the declining authority of international law and institutions is alarming. UN Security Council decisions are often blocked, and unilateral sanctions undermine the very idea of universal norms. This reduces trust in the existing order and increases fragmentation. Thirdly, the insufficient effectiveness of international organizations in no way solves the global challenges of humanity and remains without agreed solutions, such as climate change, digital inequality, the risks of artificial intelligence, cyber threats and space exploration. The international system is increasingly lagging behind the needs of the times. While many Western countries avoid answering the key question of what the global governance system should be like and how to reform international institutions in accordance with the challenges of the 21st century, the China Initiative directly poses and solves this problem. It contrasts a creative approach with destructive practices that today undermine the authority of international law. The China Initiatives are committed to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, are oriented towards the concept of joint consultation, joint construction and common use, and aim to form a fairer and more rational system of global governance that can strengthen trust and serve the interests of all countries. It is important to emphasize that this is not about creating an alternative order, but about improving the existing one in order to make it more inclusive and effective. The China Initiatives puts sovereign equality at the forefront of the fundamental premise of international relations. The Initiative emphasizes that the sovereignty of any country, regardless of its size or level of development, must be respected. Interference in internal affairs is unacceptable. This approach opens up an opportunity for the equal participation of developing countries in governance. Genuine effectiveness of global governance is impossible without uniform rules of the game. The Initiative requires the rejection of “double standards” and the imposition of the will of strong states. International law should be applied equally to everyone, and in new areas, it should be formed through consensus. Instead of unilateral approaches, it is proposed to strengthen the role of the UN as a key platform. Regional mechanisms should also play an active role. This format makes governance more democratic and collective. The main goal of global governance is to improve the well-being of people. This means prioritizing the fight against poverty, ensuring sustainable development, protecting security and human rights. Only such a system will receive broad support from the population of different countries. The reformed system should be able to solve real problems, and not be limited to declarations. Comprehensiveness and focus on both current and long-term challenges are important: climate, technology, trade, food security.
For the entire world, the Chinese Initiatives mean, first of all, the restoration of trust in international institutions and a balanced distribution of influence, where all countries have a voice. And the creation of a new framework for regulating global problems of the 21st century and strengthening the role of the UN as the main coordinator of international processes, in fact, gives grounds to talk about the possibility of creating a "global public good" through fair rules and collective mechanisms.
The Initiative is of particular importance for developing countries. Above all, these Initiatives provide an opportunity to return, recreate, strengthen political subjectivity and enhance the role of the Global South in international institutions, which will correct the toric injustice. Reform of the financial architecture opens access to resources, investments and technologies for the countries of the Global South. And joint regulation of the digital economy and AI helps to overcome digital inequality.
The Chinese Initiatives create an opportunity for a joint response to climate challenges and food problems, reduce vulnerability, and support a dialogue of civilizations, protecting cultural diversity and preventing discrimination. In fact, the Initiatives make the Global South not an object, but an active subject of world politics.
Certain difficulties may arise on the way to implementing the Global Governance Initiatives. Firstly, some developed countries may and most likely will resist, seeking to maintain their dominant position in world politics. Secondly, there are disagreements within the Global South itself, since the interests of individual states often do not coincide, which makes it difficult to form a unified position. Finally, there is a risk of bureaucratization of processes: without coordinated reforms may be delayed or lose their effectiveness, which will reduce the overall effect of the initiative. However, the potential of the Initiative significantly exceeds its risks, as it meets the objective needs of most countries in the world. The "Global Governance Initiative" proposed by China is becoming an important step towards a more just and sustainable world order, opening the way to the formation of a community of shared destiny for mankind, where mutual dependence is not a threat, but becomes a source of security, progress and prosperity. For developed countries, it opens up an opportunity to strengthen trust and stability in the world. For developing countries, this is a chance to increase their influence and accelerate modernization. In essence, we are talking about the transition to a world where the "community of shared destiny for mankind" is not a slogan, but a practical framework for cooperation. For the Global South, this means a transition from the periphery of world politics to its core, and for the entire world, the prospect of a more sustainable, secure and just future.
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