Deeply Understanding the Era Significance of Upholding the Achievements of World War II Victory and the Post-War International Order

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Eighty years ago, China and the Soviet Union were among the first to sign the Charter of the United Nations, and together with other important members of the anti-fascist alliance, they unveiled the prelude to building an international system centered on the United Nations. Recently, President Xi Jinping published a signed article in Rossiyskaya Gazeta entitled "Learning from History and Creating a Better Future," in which he pointed out: "In the period around the end of World War II, the most important decision made by the international community was to establish the United Nations." From May 7 to 10, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Russia and attended the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. During the visit, the heads of state of the two countries jointly signed and issued the "Joint Statement of the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation on the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War and the Founding of the United Nations on Further Deepening the China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for a New Era," sending a strong message of the times that the achievements of the World War II victory are not to be challenged, the post-war international order must be firmly upheld, and international fairness and justice must be defended. At a time when the international situation is volatile and intertwined, we must deeply understand the era significance of upholding the achievements of the World War II victory and the post-war international order.

今年是中国人民抗日战争、苏联伟大卫国战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年，也是联合国成立80周年。80年前，中国和苏联率先在《联合国宪章》上签字，与反法西斯同盟重要成员一起揭开了打造以联合国为核心的国际体系的序幕。近日，习近平主席在《俄罗斯报》发表题为《以史为鉴 共创未来》的署名文章中指出：“二战结束前后，国际社会作出的最重要决定就是成立联合国。”5月7日至10日，习近平主席对俄罗斯进行国事访问并出席纪念苏联伟大卫国战争胜利80周年庆典。访问期间，两国元首共同签署并发表《中华人民共和国和俄罗斯联邦在纪念中国人民抗日战争、苏联伟大卫国战争胜利和联合国成立80周年之际关于进一步深化中俄新时代全面战略协作伙伴关系的联合声明》，发出了二战胜利成果不容挑战、坚决维护战后国际秩序、捍卫国际公平正义的时代强音。在国际形势变乱交织的当下，我们要深刻理解维护二战胜利成果和战后国际秩序的时代意义。

Upholding the Achievements of the World War II Victory Requires Major Powers to Jointly Shoulder the Responsibility of the Times

维护二战胜利成果需要大国共担时代责任

As an unprecedented catastrophe in human history, the victory of World War II was not only a great achievement of justice over evil and civilization over barbarism, but also possessed profound historical inevitability and progressiveness. The victory of World War II not only ended the serious threat of militarism and fascism to world peace, but also, on the rubble of devastation, gave rise to the profound reflection of human society on the lessons of war and the firm determination to reshape the international order. From building the framework of global international organizations such as the United Nations, to perfecting the cornerstone of rules of the international legal system; from constructing a stable structure of major-power coordination, to gradually forming a collaborative network of global governance systems—every step is deeply engraved with the imprint of the World War II victory, embodying the international community's unremitting pursuit of the dawn of peace, its steadfast adherence to the value of justice, and its eternal yearning for a stable order.

第二次世界大战作为人类历史上的空前浩劫，其胜利不仅是正义战胜邪恶、文明战胜野蛮的伟大成就，还具有深刻的历史必然性和进步性。二战胜利不仅结束了军国主义、法西斯主义对世界和平的严重威胁，更在满目疮痍的废墟上催生出人类社会对战争教训的深刻反思与重塑国际秩序的坚定决心。从搭建联合国等全球性国际组织的框架，到完善国际法体系的规则基石；从构建大国协作的稳定架构，到逐步形成全球治理体系的协同网络，每一步都深深镌刻着二战胜利的印记，凝聚着国际社会对和平曙光的不懈追寻、对正义价值的执着坚守以及对稳定秩序的永恒向往。

The international system centered on the United Nations is the concentrated embodiment of the achievements of the World War II victory, and is even more a solid barrier and institutional support keeping humanity away from the tragedy of world war. Eighty years ago, China, together with other important members of the anti-fascist alliance, jointly discussed the establishment of the United Nations, formulated and signed the Charter of the United Nations, opening a historical chapter for all countries to jointly build peace and seek development. The international system centered on the United Nations embodies consultation, consensus, and multilateral co-governance, reflecting the institutional prototype of the trend toward democratization of international relations. Looking back over the past decades, the United Nations has played a central role in maintaining international peace and security, providing important guarantees for the overall peace, stability, and prosperity of the world.

以联合国为核心的国际体系是二战胜利成果的集中体现，更是守护人类远离世界大战悲剧的坚固屏障与制度依托。80年前，中国同反法西斯同盟重要成员共商成立联合国，制定并签署《联合国宪章》，开启了各国共建和平、共谋发展的历史篇章。以联合国为核心的国际体系体现协商、共识与多边共治，反映国际关系民主化趋势的制度雏形。回首过往数十载，联合国在维护国际和平与安全方面发挥了核心作用，为世界的总体和平、稳定与繁荣提供了重要保障。

Currently, the authority and effectiveness of the international system confront unprecedented challenges. On the one hand, unilateralism and hegemonic acts are rampant. Certain countries, under the banner of "my country first," undermine the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, selectively apply and attempt to tamper with the basic principles of international law, and in the absence of UN Security Council authorization or any basis in international law, impose unilateral sanctions including secondary sanctions on other countries based on their domestic laws, placing domestic law above international law and international obligations, violating the basic principles of international law such as sovereign equality of states and non-interference in internal affairs, thereby seriously weakening the authority of the international system. On the other hand, the global deficit in peace, development, security, and governance is worsening, but certain countries persist in a zero-sum Cold War mentality, creating various "small circles" and "value alliances," advocating camp confrontation, causing increased doubts in the international community about the "failure" of the UN, the "malfunction" of international law, and the "disability" of multilateralism, making it difficult to simultaneously "break the old" and "establish the new" in the global governance system.

当前，国际体系的权威性与有效性遭遇前所未有的挑战。一方面，单边主义和霸凌行径泛滥。个别国家打着“本国优先”的旗号破坏《联合国宪章》宗旨和原则，选择性适用并试图篡改国际法基本原则，在无安理会授权、无国际法依据的情况下，凭其国内法对他国滥施单边制裁包括次级制裁，将国内法凌驾于国际法和国际义务之上，违背国家主权平等和不干涉内政等国际法基本原则，严重削弱国际体系的权威性；另一方面，全球范围的和平赤字、发展赤字、安全赤字、治理赤字加重，但个别国家坚持零和博弈的冷战思维，制造各种“小圈子”和“价值同盟”，鼓吹阵营对抗，导致国际社会关于联合国“失效”、国际法“失灵”和多边主义“失能”的疑虑增加，使全球治理体系的“破旧”与“立新”难以同步实现。

President Xi Jinping pointed out: "The more volatile and intertwined the international situation becomes, the more we must uphold and defend the authority of the United Nations and firmly uphold the international system centered on the United Nations." Upholding the authority and effectiveness of the international system centered on the United Nations requires all member states to show a responsible attitude and fulfill their due obligations, with major powers especially taking the lead. As a founding member of the United Nations and a permanent member of the Security Council, China has consistently firmly supported the Security Council in playing a primary role in peace and security issues. It is the largest contributor of peacekeeping personnel among the permanent members of the Security Council, the second-largest contributor to the UN regular budget and peacekeeping assessments, has joined almost all universal intergovernmental international organizations and more than 600 international conventions, and has concluded over 27,000 bilateral treaties externally. At the same time, China and Russia, as major world powers, follow the correct path of no alliance, no confrontation, and no targeting of any third party, continuously cooperating closely within the framework of the Security Council, the UN General Assembly, and relevant agencies, earnestly upholding the authority of the UN, stabilizing the UN's central role in coordinating the interests of various countries and uniting to meet contemporary challenges, thus playing a demonstrative role in safeguarding the international system centered on the United Nations.

习近平主席指出：“国际形势越是变乱交织，我们越要坚持和维护联合国权威，坚定维护以联合国为核心的国际体系”。维护以联合国为核心的国际体系的权威性和有效性，需要所有会员国都体现负责任态度并履行应尽义务，大国尤其要作表率。中国作为联合国创始会员国和安理会常任理事国，一贯坚定支持安理会在和平与安全问题上发挥首要作用，是派遣维和人员最多的安理会常任理事国、联合国第二大会费国和维和出资国，加入了几乎所有普遍性政府间国际组织和600多项国际公约，对外缔结超过2.7万项双边条约。同时，中俄作为世界主要大国，遵循不结盟、不对抗、不针对第三方的正确道路，持续在安理会、联合国大会及相关机构框架内紧密协作，切实维护联合国权威，稳固联合国在协调各国利益、团结应对当代挑战中的核心地位，为维护以联合国为核心的国际体系发挥示范作用。

Currently, facing the challenges to the authority and effectiveness of the international system, major powers need to break geopolitical "small circles," transcend small groups of conflict and confrontation, and unequivocally oppose all attempts to tamper with the achievements of the World War II victory, subvert the principles of the post-war international order, and weaken the UN's central role in maintaining global peace and security. They should conduct closer collaboration within the framework of UN institutions such as the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, and on the basis of abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and balancing the interests of all parties, promote lasting and just solutions to global issues.

当前，面对国际体系的权威性和有效性遭遇的挑战，主要大国需要打破地缘政治“小圈子”，超越冲突对抗小集团，旗帜鲜明地反对各类图谋篡改二战胜利成果、颠覆战后国际秩序原则、削弱联合国在维护全球和平与安全中核心作用的企图，在联合国安理会、联合国大会等联合国机构框架内开展更加密切的协作，在遵守《联合国宪章》宗旨和原则以及平衡各方利益基础上，推动全球性问题得到持久公正解决。

Upholding the Post-War International Order Requires Conforming to the Trend of the Times of World Multipolarity

维护战后国际秩序需要顺应世界多极化的时代潮流

From the perspective of historical materialism, the post-war international order is not a static historical specimen, but in the dynamic process of evolution of the international landscape, reshaping of the balance of power, and transformation of the themes of the times, it continuously undergoes shaping and change by the objective environment and institutional norms. After 80 years of time passing, the Yalta System and the bipolar structure, which were once important components of the post-war international order, have long ended; mechanisms such as the Warsaw Treaty Organization and the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, which emerged during the Cold War confrontation, no longer exist either. After the end of the Cold War, the wave of world multipolarity surged forward, economic globalization expanded deeply, and peace, development, cooperation, and win-win became an unstoppable trend of the times. This righteous path not only embodies the common aspirations of the vast majority of countries in the world, but is also the inevitable direction of the laws of historical development and the logic of human social progress.

从历史唯物主义的视角观察，战后国际秩序并非静态不变的历史标本，而是在国际格局演变、力量对比重塑与时代主题转换的动态进程中，持续经历着客观环境与制度规范的塑造改变。80年光阴流转，曾经作为战后国际秩序重要组成部分的雅尔塔体系、两极格局早已终结，冷战对抗中产生的华沙条约组织、经济互助委员会等机制也不复存在。冷战终结后，世界多极化浪潮奔涌向前、经济全球化深度拓展，和平、发展、合作、共赢成为不可阻挡的时代潮流。这一人间正道既凝聚着世界绝大多数国家的共同期盼，更是历史发展规律与人类社会进步逻辑的必然指向。

Although the international community shares a consensus on opposing unilateralism, resisting power politics, and guarding against camp confrontation and zero-sum games, countries have not yet reached broad agreement on the specific path of world multipolarity and the direction of constructing the future world order. What is worth vigilance is that certain countries are deeply mired in the quagmire of hegemonic thinking, using the banner of a "rules-based international order" to find excuses for their own double standards and exceptionalism, using the limitation of other countries' sovereignty and development space as a means to maintain their hegemonic position, deviating from the trend of the times of world multipolarity and democratization of international relations. For example, NATO, as a legacy of the Cold War, continues to expand its sphere of influence and fabricates narratives of geopolitical conflict. Another example: some countries, under the pretext of addressing security risks, generalize the concept and boundaries of national security, alienate trade, economy, and technology into tools of political manipulation, provoke "tariff wars," "trade wars," and "tech wars," brutally undermine the market-oriented, WTO-centered, rules-based multilateral trading system, wield the big stick of sanctions to cut global supply chains and industrial chains, and their anti-globalization actions have become the target of universal condemnation in the international community.

尽管国际社会有着反对单边主义、抵制强权政治、警惕阵营对抗与零和博弈的共识，但在世界多极化的具体路径与未来世界格局的建构方向上，各国尚未达成广泛一致。值得警惕的是，个别国家深陷霸权思维泥潭，打着“基于规则的国际秩序”旗号，为自身推行双重标准、实施例外主义寻找借口，以限制他国主权与发展空间为手段维系霸权地位，背离世界多极化与国际关系民主化的时代大势。比如，北约作为冷战遗产，持续扩张势力范围、编造地缘冲突叙事。再如，有的国家以应对安全风险为由，泛化国家安全的概念和边界，将经贸、科技异化为政治操弄工具，挑起“关税战”“贸易战”“科技战”，粗暴破坏以市场为导向、以世界贸易组织为核心、以规则为基础的多边贸易体制，挥舞制裁大棒切断全球供应链产业链，其逆全球化行径已然成为国际社会的众矢之的。

In 2023, the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs[1]1 The Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs: a high-level meeting of the CPC Central Committee that sets the direction of China's foreign policy. pointed out: "In response to a series of major issues and major challenges facing the world today, we advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization." Among them, an equal and orderly multipolar world is China's understanding of the laws and constructive response regarding the specific path of world multipolarity and the direction of constructing the future world order. So-called equality means ensuring that countries, regardless of size, can play a role in the international system on an equal footing, equally safeguard their national sovereignty, security, and development interests, equally participate in global agenda setting and institutional design, and address global challenges with the global governance concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefit. So-called order means adhering to the sustainability and constructiveness of the multipolarization process, ensuring that countries break out of the mental ruts of "national exceptionalism," "a strong country is bound to seek hegemony," and the "Thucydides Trap[2]2 Thucydides Trap: a concept derived from the ancient Greek historian Thucydides, describing the inherent conflict between a rising power and an established hegemon.," focus on the prominent challenges of the changes unseen in a century[3]3 Changes unseen in a century: a key phrase in Chinese political discourse, referring to the profound transformations in the international system., jointly establish new mechanisms and new initiatives, and form a beneficial supplement and improvement to the post-war international order, multilateral mechanisms, and the global governance system—rather than engaging in narrative competition among major powers over the conceptual definitions of multipolarity and multilateralism, and even less so starting from scratch and overturning everything, using "loss theory" or "ineffectiveness theory" to completely subvert the structure of world multipolarity, which is an important achievement of the World War II victory.

2023年，中央外事工作会议指出：“针对当今世界面临的一系列重大问题重大挑战，我们倡导平等有序的世界多极化和普惠包容的经济全球化。”其中，平等有序的世界多极化是我国在世界多极化的具体路径与未来世界格局的建构方向上的规律性认识和建设性回应。所谓平等，就是要确保国家无论大小都能以平等的身份在国际体系中发挥作用，平等维护国家主权、安全和发展利益，平等参与全球议程设置和制度设计，以共商共建共享的全球治理观应对全球性挑战。所谓有序，就是要坚持多极化进程的可持续性和建设性，确保各国冲破“本国例外”“国强必霸”“修昔底德陷阱”等思维窠臼，聚焦世界百年未有之大变局的突出挑战，共同确立新机制和新倡议，对战后国际秩序、多边机制和全球治理体系形成有益补充和完善，而不是围绕多极化、多边主义的概念定义进行大国间的叙事竞争，更不是另起炉灶、推倒重来，以“吃亏论”“无效论”为结构彻底颠覆世界多极化这一重要的二战胜利成果。

Upholding International Fairness and Justice Requires Responding to the Call of the Times of the Rise of the Global South

维护国际公平正义需要回应全球南方崛起的时代呼声

The collective rise of the Global South is a distinct hallmark of the major changes unseen in a century. The balance of international forces today has undergone a fundamental transformation compared to 80 years ago. According to data from the International Monetary Fund, as a collection of emerging market economies and developing countries, the Global South's total economic output accounted for more than 40% of the global total in 2024, contributing 80% to world economic growth. Meanwhile, in terms of purchasing power parity, the GDP of the BRICS countries before expansion exceeded that of the G7, and after expansion, the BRICS countries account for nearly half of the global population and one-fifth of global trade. This series of data not only outlines a significant redrawing of the world economic map but also indicates that the Global South is transforming from the "silent majority" on the international political stage into a key force for maintaining international peace, driving world development, and improving global governance. Platforms such as "Greater BRICS Cooperation[4]4 Greater BRICS Cooperation: referring to the expanded cooperation framework of BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and new members)." and "SCO+[5]5 SCO+: referring to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and its outreach partners and dialogue mechanisms." with the Global South countries as the main body are continuously expanding their attractiveness and influence, extensively participating in planning global and regional security, economic, and development agendas, and contributing to world peace and stability.

全球南方群体性崛起，是世界百年未有之大变局的鲜明标志。如今的国际力量对比与80年前相比，已发生根本性转变。根据国际货币基金组织的数据，作为新兴市场国家和发展中国家的集合体，2024年全球南方的经济总量全球占比超过40%，对世界经济增长的贡献率达到80%。同时，以购买力平价计算，扩员前的金砖国家的国内生产总值超过七国集团，扩员后的金砖国家占全球人口近一半、全球贸易1/5。这一系列数据勾勒出的不仅是世界经济版图的重大改写，更昭示着全球南方正从国际政治舞台上“沉默的大多数”演变为维护国际和平、驱动世界发展、完善全球治理的关键力量。以全球南方国家为主体的“大金砖合作”“上合组织+”平台不断拓展其吸引力和影响力，广泛参与谋划全球和地区安全、经济和发展议程，为世界和平与稳定贡献力量。

President Xi Jinping called for "enhancing the representation and voice of Global South countries in global governance" and "uniting Global South countries in a spirit of equality, openness, transparency, and inclusiveness, promoting reform of the global governance system, and effectively guiding the building of a community with a shared future for mankind." As a natural member of the Global South, China shares similar views and aspirations with other developing countries and emerging market economies on improving the international order and global governance. In practice, in the reform process of existing international and multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and the International Monetary Fund, China has always been committed to enhancing the institutional voice of the Global South and promoting the global governance system to better reflect the new realities of the world political and economic landscape. As a founding member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS cooperation mechanism, China actively promotes the two platforms to become bigger and stronger, prioritizes reflecting the development agenda of the Global South, addresses non-traditional security challenges such as climate change, food security, and cybersecurity, and proposes specific measures such as building an SCO community with a shared future and the "Five BRICS[6]6 The "Five BRICS" concept: a proposal by China to deepen BRICS cooperation in five pillars (political, security, economic, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges)." concept, effectively enhancing the influence and appeal of the non-Western multilateral cooperation model.

习近平主席呼吁“提升‘全球南方’国家在全球治理中的代表性和发言权”“以平等、开放、透明、包容的精神团结‘全球南方’国家，推动全球治理体系变革，有力引领构建人类命运共同体”。作为全球南方的天然成员，中国与其他发展中国家和新兴市场国家对完善国际秩序和全球治理有着相近的看法和诉求。在实践中，中国在联合国、世界贸易组织、国际货币基金组织等现有国际和多边机制的改革进程中，始终致力于提升全球南方的制度性话语权，推动全球治理体系更好反映世界政治经济格局新现实。作为上海合作组织和金砖合作机制的创始成员，中国积极推动两大平台做大做强，优先反映全球南方的发展议程，应对气候变化、粮食安全、网络安全等非传统安全挑战，提出构建上合组织命运共同体、“五大金砖”构想等具体举措，有效增强了非西方式多边合作模式的影响力和感召力。

Although the status of the Global South has been elevated in the process of world multipolarity, the global political, economic, security, and cultural governance systems that constitute the post-war international order have not been promptly adapted to the fundamental changes in the balance of international forces. The Global South still faces many unfair and unjust treatments in terms of discourse power and participation, which has inspired a strong consensus and firm determination among them to uphold and improve a just and reasonable post-war international order. At the same time, certain countries are obsessed with "hegemonic dependency theory" and "great power determinism," advocate the law of the jungle and "big deals" from a position of strength, seek to subvert the post-war international order and re-establish spheres of influence, maliciously label BRICS cooperation, the SCO, etc. as "anti-Western," discard international values such as fairness, justice, and sharing, and become the most significant source of instability in the post-war international order.

尽管全球南方在世界多极化进程中的地位得到提升，但构成战后国际秩序的全球政治、经济、安全、文化治理体系却未能及时适配国际力量对比的根本性变化。全球南方在话语权和参与度方面依然面临诸多不公平、不公正对待，激发了其维护并完善公正合理的战后国际秩序的强烈共识与坚定决心。同时，个别国家迷信“霸权依附论”和“大国决定论”，鼓吹丛林法则和从实力地位出发的“大交易”，谋求颠覆战后国际秩序并重建势力范围，恶意给金砖合作、上合组织等打上“反西方”的标签，将国际公平、正义、共享等价值理念抛在脑后，成为战后国际秩序最主要的不稳定源。

The baton of history has been passed to the present generation. All countries need to, with greater political courage and historical responsibility, while upholding the achievements of the World War II victory, respond to the Global South's call for international fairness and justice, as well as its demands for equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal rules in multilateral cooperation. On the basis of genuine multilateralism, explore reforming and improving the post-war international order and the corresponding multilateral governance mechanisms in politics, economy, security, and culture, enabling Global South countries to better integrate into the global industrial chain, value chain, and supply chain, achieve development and revitalization through industrialization and modernization, and demonstrate the era value of the post-war international order.

历史的接力棒已传递到当代。各国需要以更大的政治勇气和历史担当，在维护二战胜利成果的同时，回应全球南方对于国际公平正义的呼声，以及多边合作的权利平等、机会平等、规则平等诉求，在真正的多边主义基础上，探索改革完善战后国际秩序以及与之相应的国际政治、经济、安全、文化多边治理机制，使全球南方国家更好融入全球产业链、价值链和供应链，通过工业化和现代化进程实现发展振兴，彰显战后国际秩序的时代价值。

The stability of institutions stems from consensus on values, and the justice of order is based on historical consciousness. In the face of the accelerated evolution of the changes unseen in a century, upholding the achievements of the World War II victory and the post-war international order is not an abstract historical commemoration, but a dynamic practice to safeguard world peace and development. Only by jointly shouldering the responsibility of the times, conforming to the trend of the times of multipolarity, and responding to the call of the times of the Global South can we guard the common memory of mankind, solidify the foundation of peace and development, and let the achievements of the World War II victory continue to shine.

制度之稳定源于价值之共识，秩序之正义基于历史之自觉。面对百年变局加速演进，维护二战胜利成果和战后国际秩序不是抽象的历史纪念，而是保障世界和平发展的动态实践。唯有共担时代责任，顺应多极化时代潮流，回应全球南方的时代呼声，方能守护人类共同记忆、筑牢和平与发展的根基，让二战胜利成果持续绽放光芒。

(The author is Deputy Director of the Institute of International Strategy and Security, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies.)

（作者为上海国际问题研究院国际战略与安全研究所副所长）

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