Why the Global Governance Initiative Injects Stability and Certainty into the World

In September this year, at the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization+" meeting held in Tianjin, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the Global Governance Initiative, calling on all countries to work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind and to build a world of lasting peace, universal security, shared prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, cleanliness and beauty, thereby further contributing Chinese wisdom and proposing a Chinese solution for strengthening and improving global governance. This initiative clarifies the principles, methods and pathways that need to be followed in reforming and improving global governance, points the way for the future of humanity, and is another important public good contributed to the world following the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative. It demonstrates China's sense of responsibility and action in international affairs, injecting stability and certainty into a turbulent and uncertain world.

今年9月，习近平总书记在天津召开的“上海合作组织+”会议上提出全球治理倡议，呼吁各国携手构建人类命运共同体，建设持久和平、普遍安全、共同繁荣、开放包容、清洁美丽的世界，为加强和完善全球治理进一步贡献中国智慧、提出中国方案。这一倡议阐明了改革完善全球治理需要遵循的原则、方法和路径，为人类的前途和未来指明了方向，是继全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议、全球文明倡议之后，向世界贡献的又一重要公共产品，彰显了中国在国际事务中的担当和作为，为动荡不安的世界注入稳定性和确定性。

I. Firmly Grasp the Core Concepts of the Global Governance Initiative

一、 牢牢把握全球治理倡议的核心理念

General Secretary Xi Jinping has clarified the core concepts of the Global Governance Initiative, namely, upholding sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating a people-centered approach, and emphasizing an action-oriented approach. These five core concepts elucidate the principles, methods and pathways that need to be followed in reforming and improving global governance, and represent an inheritance, development and innovation of the purposes of the United Nations Charter.

习近平总书记明确了全球治理倡议的核心理念，即奉行主权平等、遵守国际法治、践行多边主义、倡导以人为本、注重行动导向。这五大核心理念阐明了改革完善全球治理需要遵循的原则、方法和路径，是对联合国宪章宗旨的继承、发展和创新。

Sovereign equality is the primary prerequisite for global governance. Sovereign equality is the most important norm governing relations between states, and it is also the primary prerequisite jointly followed by the United Nations and all international institutions and organizations. The core of sovereign equality lies in the fact that regardless of size, strength or wealth, the sovereignty and dignity of all countries must be respected, and all countries have the right to equal participation, equal decision-making, and equal benefit in global governance. The global governance system must better reflect and represent the interests of the majority of countries, respond to the demands of developing countries, and significantly enhance the representation and voice of developing countries.

主权平等是全球治理的首要前提。主权平等是国与国规范彼此关系最重要的准则，也是联合国及所有国际机构、组织共同遵循的首要前提。主权平等的核心在于各国无论大小、强弱、贫富，主权和尊严必须得到尊重，都有权在全球治理中平等参与、平等决策、平等受益。全球治理体系必须更多体现和反映大多数国家利益，回应发展中国家的诉求，显著提升发展中国家的代表性和发言权。

International rule of law is the fundamental guarantee of global governance. International law and international rules are common yardsticks that should be jointly written, jointly upheld, and jointly implemented by all countries, with no exceptions and no room for exceptions. "There is only one system in the world, that is the international system with the United Nations at its core; there is only one set of rules, that is the basic norms of international relations based on the UN Charter." [1]1 This is a direct quotation from a speech by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, emphasizing the centrality of the UN system. The purposes and principles of the UN Charter are universally recognized basic norms of international relations and must be upheld unwaveringly. In handling relations between states and international affairs, the relations and interests of all countries can only be coordinated through institutions and rules; "it is no longer permissible to let whoever has the biggest fist have the final say."

国际法治是全球治理的根本保障。国际法和国际规则是共同的准绳，应该由各国共同书写、共同维护、共同执行，没有也不应该有例外。“世界上只有一个体系，就是以联合国为核心的国际体系；只有一套规则，就是以联合国宪章为基础的国际关系基本准则”。联合国宪章宗旨和原则是公认的国际关系基本准则，必须毫不动摇加以维护。在国家间关系和国际事务的处理中，各国关系和利益只能以制度和规则加以协调，“不能再允许谁的拳头大谁就说了算”。

Multilateralism is the basic pathway for global governance. The core concept of the current international system and international order is multilateralism. Global governance is everyone's business, affecting the vital interests of every country, and must rely on coordination and cooperation, not unilateral bullying. We should uphold the global governance concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, advocating that international affairs be discussed jointly by all countries, global governance rules be formulated jointly by all countries, and the fruits of development be shared jointly by the people of all countries.

多边主义是全球治理的基本路径。现行国际体系和国际秩序的核心理念是多边主义。全球治理是大家的事，关系每个国家的切身利益，要靠协调合作，而不是单边霸凌。应坚持共商共建共享的全球治理观，主张国际事务由各国共同商量，全球治理规则由各国共同制定，发展成果由各国人民共同分享。

A people-centered approach is the value orientation of global governance. The people of all countries are the fundamental participants in and beneficiaries of global governance, and enhancing human well-being is the fundamental goal of global governance. Ultimately, global governance means turning the people's aspiration for a better life into reality, jointly building a world where everyone enjoys prosperity and well-being, taking the rights to survival, development, security and a healthy environment of the people of all countries as the fundamental starting point, and truly establishing the legitimacy of global governance on the well-being of the people of all countries and even all of humanity. Advancing global governance is a cause that benefits the people of all countries, and the people of all countries are also the fundamental participants in and beneficiaries of global governance. Only by taking the well-being of the people of all countries as the goal and continuously boosting public confidence and stabilizing expectations can the global governance system gain broad support and operate effectively.

以人为本是全球治理的价值取向。各国人民是全球治理的根本参与者和受益者，增进人类福祉是全球治理的根本目标。全球治理说到底，就是把各国人民对美好生活的向往变成现实，共同建设一个让人人享有富足安康的世界，将世界各国人民的生存权、发展权、安全权、环境权等作为根本出发点，真正将全球治理的正当性建立在世界各国人民乃至全人类整体福祉之上。推进全球治理是惠及世界各国人民的事业，各国人民也是全球治理的根本参与者和受益者。只有以世界各国人民的福祉为目标，不断提振民众信心和稳定预期，全球治理体系才能得到广泛支持并有效运作。

An action-oriented approach is an important principle of global governance. Global governance emphasizes action. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Adhere to systematic planning and holistic advancement, coordinate and harmonize global actions, fully mobilize resources from all sides, create more visible results, and avoid governance lag and fragmentation through pragmatic cooperation." The key to global governance lies in both addressing current urgent problems and focusing on the future and the long term, solving practical problems that concern all countries, especially the vast number of developing countries. Its principle is to be "effective" and "avoid governance lag and fragmentation." We must focus on long-term challenges ahead, adhere to systematic planning and holistic advancement.

行动导向是全球治理的重要原则。全球治理重在行动。习近平总书记指出：“坚持系统谋划、整体推进，统筹协调全球行动，充分调动各方资源，打造更多可视成果，以务实合作避免治理滞后和碎片化。”全球治理的关键在于既要立足当前的紧迫性问题，又要关注未来和长远，解决好各国尤其是广大发展中国家关心的实际问题，其原则就是“管用”，“避免治理滞后和碎片化”。要着眼今后的长期性挑战，坚持系统谋划、整体推进。

II. Deeply Understand the Great Significance of the Global Governance Initiative

二、深刻认识全球治理倡议的重大意义

The transformation of the global governance system is not about overturning the existing international order, nor is it about starting anew outside the current international system; rather, it is about keeping pace with the times, reforming and improving it. The Global Governance Initiative conforms to the general trend of human social development, meets the urgent needs of today's world, and presents a Chinese solution to the epochal question of "what kind of global governance system to build and how to reform and improve global governance." It is a major strategic move by China to promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system.

全球治理体系变革，不是对现有国际秩序的推倒重来，也不是在现行国际体系之外的另起炉灶，而是要与时俱进、改革完善。全球治理倡议顺应人类社会发展大势，契合当今世界迫切需要，为解答“构建什么样的全球治理体系、如何改革完善全球治理”的时代命题亮明了中国方案，是中国推动构建更加公正合理的全球治理体系的重大战略之举。

It aims to promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system. At present, the changes unseen in a century are deepening, emerging market economies and developing countries are rising collectively, the international balance of power is undergoing revolutionary changes, and the problem of the global governance system being unsuitable and mismatched is unprecedentedly prominent. At the same time, the international situation is intertwined with chaos, hegemonic and bullying acts are deeply harmful, seriously impacting multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, and the problems and challenges facing the international community are becoming more complex and diverse. Against this backdrop, the international community's demand for reforming and improving global governance is more urgent than ever before. The Global Governance Initiative holds high the banner of multilateralism, aiming to jointly advance more just and equitable global governance, better respond to global challenges, serve the interests of all countries, especially developing countries, better bridge the North-South development gap, and better safeguard the common interests of all countries in the world.

旨在推动构建更加公正合理的全球治理体系。当前，百年变局向纵深演进，新兴市场国家和发展中国家群体性崛起，国际力量对比发生革命性变化，全球治理体系不适应、不匹配的问题空前突出。与此同时，国际形势变乱交织，强权霸凌行径危害深重，严重冲击联合国等多边机制，国际社会面临的问题挑战更趋复杂多元。在此背景下，国际社会对改革和完善全球治理的需求比以往任何时候都更加迫切。全球治理倡议高擎多边主义旗帜，旨在携手推进更加公正合理的全球治理，更好应对全球性挑战，服务各国特别是发展中国家利益，更好弥合南北发展鸿沟，更好维护世界各国共同利益。

It enriches and improves the methods and pathways of global governance. The Global Governance Initiative opposes the monopoly of rule-making by a few countries and advocates that rules be formulated jointly by the majority of countries. At the same time, it advocates ensuring the equal and uniform application of international law and international rules. The Global Governance Initiative emphasizes comprehensive, full and complete adherence to the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, refraining from "double standards" and not imposing the "family rules" of a few countries on others. Faced with cross-domain global public issues such as climate change, public health security, and digital governance, traditional governance pathways often rely on mandatory coordination and interest compromise, making it difficult to form systematic solutions. The Global Governance Initiative anchors the direction, principles and pathways for reforming the global governance system and mechanisms, synergizing with the Global Development Initiative to promote governance through development and ensure development through governance; synergizing with the Global Security Initiative to resolve conflicts through dialogue and consultation, creating a stable environment for governance; and synergizing with the Global Civilization Initiative to enhance understanding and mutual trust, consolidating the social and popular foundation for multilateral cooperation. The Global Governance Initiative adheres to a problem-oriented approach, insists on using dialogue and consultation rather than confrontation and gaming, mutual benefit and win-win rather than zero-sum games, and multilateralism rather than unilateralism as the logic for resolution, building consensus and locking in results through pragmatic cooperation.

丰富完善了全球治理的方法路径。全球治理倡议反对少数国家垄断规则制定，主张由多数国家共同制定。同时，主张确保国际法和国际规则平等统一适用。全球治理倡议强调全面、充分、完整遵守以联合国宪章宗旨和原则为基础的国际关系基本准则，不搞“双标”，不将少数国家的“家规”强加于人。面对气候变化、公共卫生安全、数字治理等跨域性全球公共议题，传统治理路径多依赖强制协调和利益妥协，难以形成系统性解决方案，全球治理倡议锚定全球治理体制机制改革的方向、原则和路径，与全球发展倡议协同，以发展促治理、以治理保发展；与全球安全倡议协同，以对话协商化解冲突，为治理创造稳定环境；与全球文明倡议协同，增进理解互信，夯实多边合作的社会与民意基础。全球治理倡议坚持问题导向，坚持以对话协商而非对抗博弈、互利共赢而非零和博弈、多边主义而非单边主义作为解决逻辑，通过务实合作凝聚共识、锁定成果。

It gathers a mighty force for building a community with a shared future for mankind. In today's world, the interests of all countries are intertwined, they share weal and woe, and are interdependent; the prophecy that "history becomes world history" has long become a reality. [2]2 This is a reference to the concept of "world history" (Weltgeschichte) from Marx and Engels' *The German Ideology*, which argued that capitalism and the expansion of the world market would create a single, interconnected global history. The ever-expanding common interests must be safeguarded through ever-improving common governance; joining hands in cooperation and mutual benefit has become the only correct choice for all countries in the world. The Global Governance Initiative grasps the major trend of the times in which countries are increasingly becoming a community of shared interests, shared responsibilities, and a shared future. Together with the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, it forms an organic whole that promotes prosperity through development, ensures stability through security, enhances mutual trust through civilization, and seeks justice through governance, injecting stability and certainty into a world of change and turmoil, and becoming a strategic guide for promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

为构建人类命运共同体凝聚磅礴合力。当今世界，各国利益交融、休戚与共，你中有我、我中有你，“历史成为世界历史”的预言早已变成现实。不断扩大的共同利益必须通过不断完善的共同治理来维护，携手合作、互利共赢成为世界各国的唯一正确选择。全球治理倡议把握各国日益成为利益共同体、责任共同体、命运共同体的时代大趋势，与全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议、全球文明倡议一道，形成以发展促繁荣、以安全保稳定、以文明增互信、以治理求公正的有机整体，为变乱交织的世界注入稳定性和确定性，成为推动构建人类命运共同体的战略引领。

III. China Has Always Been an Actor in Reforming and Improving Global Governance

三、中国始终是改革完善全球治理的行动派

China has put forward the Global Governance Initiative, taking as its basic guideline the upholding of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the practice of the global governance concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. China has always been a firm builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, a defender of the international order, and a provider of public goods.

中国提出全球治理倡议，以维护联合国宪章宗旨和原则、践行共商共建共享的全球治理观为基本遵循，始终坚定做世界和平的建设者、全球发展的贡献者、国际秩序的维护者、公共产品的提供者。

Firmly take the path of peaceful development, and always act as a builder of world peace. China adheres to the path of peaceful development, demonstrating its great-power responsibility for maintaining global strategic stability. It promotes the building of a pattern of major-country relations featuring peaceful coexistence, overall stability, and balanced development, takes the lead among the five nuclear-weapon states in issuing a joint statement on preventing nuclear war for the first time, and acts as a “stabilizer” for world peace. It explores and practices a Chinese-path approach to resolving hotspot issues, promotes the building of an Asian security model that shares weal and woe, seeks common ground while reserving differences, and engages in dialogue and consultation, and upholds an objective and fair stance on hotspot issues such as the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, pushing for political settlement. With its substantial achievements, China demonstrates to the world that safeguarding world peace is by no means a slogan, but a Chinese action to bridge conflicts, promote cooperation, and protect human well-being.

坚定走和平发展道路，始终做世界和平的建设者。中国坚持走和平发展道路，展现维护全球战略稳定大国担当。推动构建和平共处、总体稳定、均衡发展的大国关系格局，推动五核国领导人首次就防止核战争发表联合声明，带头做世界和平的“稳定器”。探索并践行中国特色热点问题解决之道，推动构建安危与共、求同存异、对话协商的亚洲安全模式，在乌克兰危机、巴以冲突等热点问题上秉持客观公正、推动政治解决。中国用沉甸甸的成果向世界表明：维护世界和平绝不是一个口号，而是弥合冲突、促进合作、守护人类福祉的中国行动。

Adhere to the path of common development, and always act as a contributor to global development. As the world’s second-largest economy, China’s steady economic growth provides important support and significant increments for world economic recovery, which in itself is a great boost to the global development cause. China advocates high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, promotes the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Silk Road Fund, and the New Development Bank, and builds open cooperation platforms that are widely welcomed. It has set up the China-UN Peace and Development Fund and the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, and promotes the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It has announced the expansion of high-level, institution-based opening up, hosted the China International Import Expo, expanded the high-standard free trade zone network facing the world, and firmly leads the general direction of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. In recent years, China’s annual contribution rate to world economic growth has remained at around 30%, making it the most stable and reliable source of power for world economic development.

坚持走共同发展道路，始终做全球发展的贡献者。作为世界第二大经济体，中国经济稳健增长，为世界经济复苏提供了重要支撑和显著增量，本身就是对全球发展事业的巨大助力。中国倡议高质量共建“一带一路”，推动设立亚投行、丝路基金、新开发银行，搭建深受欢迎的开放合作平台。创设“中国——联合国和平与发展基金”“全球发展和南南合作基金”，推动落实联合国2030年可持续发展议程。宣布扩大高水平、制度型对外开放，举办中国国际进口博览会，扩大面向全球的高标准自由贸易区网络，牢牢引领贸易和投资自由化便利化大方向。近年来，中国对世界经济增长的年贡献率基本在30%左右，是世界经济发展最稳定、最可靠的动力源。

Unswervingly uphold the authority and status of the United Nations, and always act as a defender of the international order. The United Nations is the most universal, representative, and authoritative intergovernmental international organization in the world today, and has played an irreplaceable role in maintaining peace, promoting development, and improving people’s livelihoods over the past 80 years. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must revisit the original aspiration of the founding of the United Nations, reaffirm our commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and promote the revitalization of the UN’s authority and vitality under the new circumstances, making it the main platform for countries to coordinate actions and jointly address challenges.” China firmly upholds the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and firmly supports the United Nations in playing a central role in international affairs. No matter how the international situation changes, China actively participates in all UN affairs and has always been a firm supporter and builder of the UN cause.

坚定不移维护联合国权威和地位，始终做国际秩序的维护者。联合国是当今世界最具普遍性、代表性和权威性的政府间国际组织，80年来为维护和平、促进发展、改善民生发挥了不可替代的作用。习近平总书记强调：“我们要重温联合国创立初心，重申对联合国宪章宗旨和原则的承诺，推动联合国在新形势下重振权威和活力，成为各国协调行动、共同应对挑战的主要平台。”中国坚定维护以联合国为核心的国际体系、以国际法为基础的国际秩序、以联合国宪章宗旨和原则为基础的国际关系基本准则，坚定支持联合国在国际事务中发挥核心作用。无论国际形势如何变化，中国积极投身联合国各项事务，始终坚定做联合国事业的支持者与建设者。

Adhere to improving governance rules in key areas, and always act as a provider of public goods. In recent years, issues such as climate change and the digital divide have become increasingly prominent, and governance deficits in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and cyberspace have become evident. China actively participates in formulating governance rules for emerging fields, proposes the Global AI Governance Initiative, and advocates the establishment of a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization to promote the development of AI in a direction that is beneficial and inclusive. It proposes the Global Data Security Initiative, promotes the implementation of the Global Digital Compact under the UN framework, and ensures that all countries share digital opportunities. It promotes the conclusion and implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, establishes the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, and leads global ecological progress. It advances innovation in the field of international rule of law, and together with 32 countries, establishes the International Organization for Mediation, providing new options and new pathways for the efficient and peaceful resolution of international disputes.

坚持完善关键领域治理规则，始终做公共产品的提供者。近年来，气候变化、数字鸿沟等问题日益突出，人工智能、网络空间等新兴领域治理赤字凸显。中国积极参与制定新兴领域治理规则，提出《全球人工智能治理倡议》，倡议成立世界人工智能合作组织，促进人工智能朝着向善普惠方向发展。提出《全球数据安全倡议》，推动联合国框架下《全球数字契约》落地，确保各国共享数字机遇。推动达成并落实应对气候变化《巴黎协定》、《昆明—蒙特利尔全球生物多样性框架》，出资设立昆明生物多样性基金，引领全球生态文明建设。推进国际法治领域创新，会同32个国家建立国际调解院，为高效和平解决国际争端提供新选择新途径。

(Author: Secretary of the Party Committee of the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Researcher at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era)

（作者：中国社会科学院俄罗斯东欧中亚研究所党委书记，习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员）