Providing Rule-of-Law Guarantee for Implementing the Global Development Initiative

On September 21, 2021, President Xi Jinping first proposed the Global Development Initiative (hereinafter referred to as the Initiative) at the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Once proposed, the Initiative attracted great attention from the international community and has received support from multiple international organizations and over 100 countries. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC[1]1 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, held in July 2024, focused on further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese modernization. pointed out that it is necessary to "promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, practice the common values of all humanity, implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, and advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization." Implementing the Initiative is not only an important action for China to participate in and lead the reform and construction of the global governance system, but also an important practice for China to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

2021年9月21日，习近平主席在第七十六届联合国大会上首次提出全球发展倡议（以下简称“倡议”）。倡议一经提出，便受到国际社会高度关注，业已得到多个国际组织和100多个国家的支持。党的二十届三中全会指出，要“推动构建人类命运共同体，践行全人类共同价值，落实全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议、全球文明倡议，倡导平等有序的世界多极化、普惠包容的经济全球化”。落实倡议，既是中国参与引领全球治理体系改革和建设的重要行动，也是中国推动构建人类命运共同体的重要实践。

Rule of law is an important guarantee for implementing the Global Development Initiative

法治是落实全球发展倡议的重要保障

After the Global Development Initiative was put forward, China has adhered to an action-oriented approach, continuously building consensus on development, increasing resource input, strengthening cooperation in key areas, and enriching exchange and cooperation platforms, actively promoting the implementation of the Initiative. The rule of law plays an important role in this process. First, it ensures the strong implementation of the Initiative. By creating legal norms and leveraging the universality and compulsory nature of law, existing dispersed development resources can be integrated, enhancing the force of implementation of the Initiative. Second, it ensures the orderly implementation of the Initiative. It is necessary to establish and improve legal norms concerning project initiation, procurement, implementation, supervision, evaluation, incentives, etc., around global development projects, to ensure their orderly implementation. Third, it ensures the effective implementation of the Initiative. Implementing the Initiative has dual attributes of development and diplomacy. It is necessary to create legal systems for fundraising, international cooperation, etc., according to needs, and also to create legal models to promote joint implementation of the Initiative by relevant countries and international institutions, thereby maximizing the mobilization of both domestic and international development resources.

全球发展倡议提出以后，我国坚持行动导向，不断凝聚发展共识、不断加大资源投入、不断加强重点领域合作、不断丰富交流合作平台，积极推动倡议落实。法治在其中发挥着重要作用。一是保障倡议的有力落实。通过创设法律规范，借助法律的普适性和强制性，能够整合现有分散的发展资源，增强倡议的落实力度。二是保障倡议的有序落实。需要围绕全球发展项目，建立和完善有关项目立项、采购、实施、监督、评估、激励等方面的法律规范，以保障其有序实施。三是保障倡议的有效落实。落实倡议具有发展和外交双重属性，需要根据需求创设筹资、国际合作等法律制度，也需要创制法律样本，推动相关国家、国际机构共同落实倡议，以此最大限度调动国内国际两种发展资源。

Improving the legal system for implementing the Global Development Initiative

健全落实全球发展倡议的法律体系

Currently, Article 18 of the Law on Foreign Relations directly provides for the implementation of the Global Development Initiative. However, this law has the nature of a policy law, and its provisions are characterized by policy, declaration, and principles, without specific institutional arrangements for implementing the Initiative. In addition, the China International Development Cooperation Agency has issued two working documents, the Guidelines for the Global Development Fund Pool (Trial) and the Guidelines for the Global Development Project Pool (Trial), but relevant laws and regulations still need to be further enriched.

目前，《对外关系法》第18条对落实全球发展倡议作出了直接规定。但该法具有政策法性质，其条款具有政策性、宣示性、原则性特点，并未就落实倡议作出具体的制度安排。此外，国家国际发展合作署出台了《全球发展资金库准则（试行）》《全球发展项目库准则（试行）》两份工作文件，但仍然需要继续充实相关法律法规。

First, formulate special legislation to support Initiative activities. Two options can be considered: one is unified legislation, i.e., formulating a "Global Development Promotion Law" to stipulate the purposes, principles, management system, main methods, international cooperation, incentive support, legal liability, etc., of China's contributions to the Initiative. The other is decentralized legislation, i.e., dividing the implementation activities of the Initiative into two categories: global development activities with aid nature and those without aid nature, and regulating them separately. For the former, an "International Development Cooperation Law" or "Foreign Aid Law" could be formulated, incorporating the Initiative into the legislative purpose; for the latter, according to industry categories, international cooperation clauses in legislation in different fields such as energy, environmental protection, food, climate, health, sports, etc., could be linked to the Initiative.

首先，制定支持倡议活动的专项立法。可以考虑两种方案：一是统一立法，即制定“全球发展促进法”，对中国贡献倡议活动的目的、原则、管理体制、主要方式、国际合作、激励支持、法律责任等作出规定。二是分散立法，即将倡议的落实活动分为两类，具有援助性质和不具有援助性质的全球发展活动，分别加以规范。对于前者，可制定“国际发展合作法”或“对外援助法”，将倡议纳入立法目的；对于后者，可依其行业类别，将能源、环保、粮食、气候、卫生、体育等不同领域立法中的国际合作条款与倡议进行衔接。

Second, formulate supporting laws for Initiative activities. In addition to special legislation, the introduction of supporting regulations and rules should also be promoted to enhance the operability of legal norms for the Global Development Initiative. For example, currently, the laws and regulations on private entities' participation in global development projects are not perfect, and it is difficult to make specific provisions on this issue in special legislation. Therefore, supporting regulations and rules should stipulate the legality, rights and obligations, participation procedures, incentive rules, legal liability, etc., for private entities' participation in global development projects, providing an institutional channel for them to actively promote the implementation of the Initiative.

其次，制定支持倡议活动的配套法律。除制定专项立法之外，还应推动配套法规、规章的出台，提升全球发展倡议法律规范的可操作性。例如，目前私人主体参与全球发展项目的法律法规并不完善，且在专项立法中，难以就此问题作出具体规定。因此，要通过配套法规、规章对私人主体参与全球发展项目的合法性、权利义务、参与程序、激励规则、法律责任等予以规定，为其积极推动倡议落实提供制度通道。

Finally, promote international legal systems that support Initiative activities. First, further strengthen bilateral cooperation with international organizations that have development functions. Actively promote the inclusion of the Global Development Initiative in the agendas of international organizations, strengthen in-depth cooperation between China and international organizations in global development cooperation through bilateral agreements, etc., making the Initiative an important cooperation platform for international organizations to promote development work. Second, further strengthen trilateral cooperation with developed countries and international organizations with development functions. Actively promote trilateral development cooperation projects such as "China + Developed Country + Developing Country" and "China + International Organization + Developing Country", and leverage the development resources of developed countries and international organizations through the creation of project-based "contractual international law" to jointly implement the Initiative.

最后，推动支持倡议活动的国际法律制度。一是进一步加强与具有发展职能的国际组织的双边合作。积极推动全球发展倡议纳入国际组织议题，通过双边协定等方式加强中国与国际组织之间在全球发展合作方面的深度合作，使倡议成为国际组织推动发展工作的重要合作平台。二是进一步加强与发达国家、具有发展职能的国际组织的三方合作。积极推动“中国+发达国家+发展中国家”“中国+国际组织+发展中国家”等三方发展合作项目，通过创建以项目为基础的“契约式国际法”撬动发达国家、国际组织的发展资源，共同落实倡议。

Improving the rule-of-law guarantee system for implementing the Global Development Initiative

完善落实全球发展倡议的法治保障体系

First, strengthen legal research on implementing the Initiative. Although the Initiative has been incorporated into the basic law on foreign relations, and the state has carried out a great deal of practical work in implementing the Initiative, the theoretical study of the rule of law to guarantee the implementation of the Initiative has not yet attracted widespread attention. In the future, efforts should be made to promote research on the jurisprudential basis of the Global Development Initiative, the theory of domestic legislation to promote global development, the theory of specific legal systems to promote global development, and the international rule of law for implementing the Global Development Initiative, so as to provide theoretical guidance for the formation, development, and operation of legal norms to guarantee the implementation of the Initiative, and ensure the full implementation of the Initiative on the track of the rule of law.

第一，增进落实倡议的法治研究。尽管倡议已被纳入对外关系基础法，国家层面在落实倡议方面也开展了大量的务实工作，但保障倡议落实的法治理论研究尚未引起普遍关注。今后，需要着力推动全球发展倡议的法理基础、促进全球发展的国内立法理论、促进全球发展的具体法律制度理论、落实全球发展倡议的国际法治等方面的研究，以便为保障倡议落实的法律规范形成、发展与运行提供理论依循，确保在法治轨道上全面落实倡议。

Second, clarify the functional institutions for implementing the Initiative. Implementing the Initiative falls within the central authority[2]2 "Central authority" (中央事权) refers to powers and responsibilities belonging to the central government under China's constitutional system.; according to law, it should be under the overall coordination, overall advancement, and supervision of the central foreign affairs leadership body[3]3 The central foreign affairs leadership body refers to the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC, which coordinates foreign policy.. However, the specific department in charge of implementing the Initiative has not yet been clarified. China has established the Global Development Promotion Center to promote the implementation of the Initiative, but no law or document clearly designates this institution as the lead body responsible for promoting the implementation of the Initiative; as a public institution under the China International Development Cooperation Agency, it is actually difficult for this institution to independently assume the responsibility of implementing the Initiative. The implementation of the Global Development Initiative requires both a specialized department for centralized management and the coordinated promotion of relevant industry authorities. In this regard, it is necessary to promote the formation of a systematic, development-oriented, collaborative, and efficient management system for implementing the Global Development Initiative, and to promote the legalization of institutions, functions, powers, procedures, and responsibilities through special legislation and supporting systems, so as to provide strong organizational guarantees for the implementation of the Initiative.

第二，明确落实倡议的职能机构。落实倡议属于中央事权，依法应由中央外事工作领导机构负责统筹协调、整体推进、督促落实。但对于落实倡议的具体归口管理部门，目前尚未明确。我国已设立全球发展促进中心推动落实倡议，但没有法律或文件明确由该机构牵头负责推动倡议落实；作为国家国际发展合作署下设的事业单位，该机构事实上也难以独立承担落实倡议的职责。全球发展倡议的落实，既需要有专门的部门归口管理，也需要有相关的行业主管部门协同推进。对此，应当推动形成系统集成、发展导向、协同高效的全球发展倡议落实管理体制，并通过专项立法、配套制度推进机构、职能、权限、程序、责任法定化，为落实倡议提供强有力的组织保障。

Third, improve the funding guarantee mechanism for implementing the Initiative. In 2022, China upgraded the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, established in 2015, into the "Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund"[4]4 South-South cooperation refers to cooperation among developing countries; the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund was established by China in 2015 to support such cooperation. (hereinafter referred to as the Fund), and increased its capital by $1 billion on the original $3 billion, specifically to support cooperation under the Global Development Initiative. On the one hand, the current global development financing gap reaches $4 trillion per year, and the Fund's capital scale is relatively limited; it may be necessary to increase capital as needed in a timely manner to play a sustained role in global development. On the other hand, the Fund has a clear department in charge, making it difficult for other relevant departments to obtain the initiative in using the Fund, and the scale and sources of funding for implementing the Initiative are relatively limited. Therefore, it is recommended to expand channels for innovative development financing, set up special development cooperation funds in areas such as education, energy, health, etc., in addition to the Fund. For example, a "Global Education Development Cooperation Fund" could be established through a combination of government and social funding, to enhance China's international influence and voice in education while implementing the Initiative, and deeply participate in global education governance. At the same time, improve the institutionalization of fund management and operation, form a fund management mechanism that meets the needs of the Initiative's implementation, and provide strong resource support for enhancing the rule-of-law guarantee capacity for implementing the Initiative.

第三，完善落实倡议的资金保障机制。我国于2022年将2015年设立的南南合作援助基金升级为“全球发展和南南合作基金”（以下简称“基金”），并在原30亿美元基础上增资10亿美元，专门用以支持开展全球发展倡议合作。一方面，目前全球发展筹资缺口达到每年4万亿美元，基金的资金规模相对有限，可以考虑按需适时增资，以在全球发展中发挥持续作用。另一方面，基金有明确的归口管理部门，其他有关部门难以获得基金使用的主动权，落实倡议的资金规模、来源渠道等较为受限。因而，建议拓展创新发展的筹资渠道，在基金之外设立有关教育、能源、卫生健康等领域的专项发展合作基金。例如，可以考虑采取政府出资与社会出资相结合的方式，设立“全球教育发展合作基金”，在落实倡议的同时，不断增强我国教育的国际影响力和话语权，深度参与全球教育治理。同时，提升基金管理运行的制度化，形成契合倡议推行需要的基金管理机制，为提升落实倡议的法治保障能力提供有力的资源支持。

Fourth, strengthen the cultivation of rule-of-law talent for implementing the Initiative. The Initiative is an important part of the strategic layout of foreign-related work, requiring a large number of professionals from various industries and legal talents in international development cooperation to work together to promote the implementation and effectiveness of global development cooperation projects. Currently, China's overall emphasis on the cultivation of legal talents for international development cooperation is insufficient, lacking corresponding strategic awareness and disciplinary support, with shortcomings in curriculum design, faculty allocation, textbook construction, resource support, etc. It is necessary to start from enhancing awareness of talent cultivation, strengthening disciplinary support, optimizing talent cultivation design, and improving the talent cultivation guarantee system, to optimize the cultivation mechanism for legal talents in international development cooperation, and provide rule-of-law talent support for implementing the Initiative.

第四，加强落实倡议的法治人才培养。倡议是涉外工作战略布局的重要组成部分，需要大量各行各业的专业人才和国际发展合作法律人才，协力推进全球发展合作项目落地增效。目前，我国整体上对于国际发展合作法律人才培养的重视程度不足，缺乏相应的战略认知和学科支持，课程设置、师资配备、教材建设、资源支持等方面存在短板，需要从提升人才培养认知、强化学科专业支持、优化人才培养设计、完善人才培养保障体系等方面入手，优化国际发展合作法律人才培养机制，为落实倡议提供法治人才支持。

(The author is a professor at the International Law School of Shanghai University of Political Science and Law)

（作者系上海政法学院国际法学院教授）

Online editor: Hui Hui

网络编辑：慧慧