TIANJIN: Chinese President Xi Jinping has unveiled a sweeping vision for global governance reform, casting the world as once again standing at a crossroads – just as it did 80 years ago, when the United Nations was founded in the wake of two devastating world wars.
Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit on Monday (Sep 1), Xi warned that Cold War thinking, hegemonism and protectionism still loom large, adding that the world has entered a new period of “turbulence and transformation” amid new threats and challenges.
While Xi did not cite specific flashpoints, his remarks come as wars rage on in Ukraine and the Middle East, and as tensions mount between China and what it views as an increasingly unilateralist United States.
“History tells us that the more difficult the times, the more we must hold fast to the original aspiration of peaceful coexistence, strengthen our confidence in cooperation and mutual benefit, and advance in line with the logic of historical progress and the tide of the times,” Xi told SCO members, observer states and dialogue partners.
“For this reason, I am putting forward a Global Governance Initiative, to work with all countries in building a fairer and more reasonable system of global governance, and to jointly advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.”
GDI, GSI, GCI, and now GGI?
The Global Governance Initiative is the fourth major international framework Xi has introduced since 2021, following the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative.
The Chinese supremo said the aim of his latest proposal is for all countries to work together to make the international system “fairer and reasonable”.
He set out five priorities under the new initiative: upholding sovereign equality, respecting international law, practising multilateralism, putting people first, and focusing on action-oriented results.
“All countries, regardless of size, strength or wealth, should equally participate in, decide on and benefit from global governance,” Xi said, adding that international law must be applied “without double standards” and that “the house rules of a few countries” should not be imposed on others.
Xi said the SCO had already put forward many new ideas on global governance and should “play a leading role and set an example” in implementing the initiative.
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