BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 scholars, diplomats and officials from 23 countries gathered for a seminar in Beijing on Monday to address a pressing question: What type of international governance system to build and how to construct it?
"Facing an array of new challenges, withdrawing from international agreements is not the answer. Strengthening multilateral cooperation is the key to bridging governance gaps," said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong at the opening of the Seminar on Upholding Multilateralism and Promoting Global Governance.
Hosted by the Research Center on Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind, the one-day seminar featured four sub-forums on global governance, focusing on international order, major power relations, international law and regional cooperation.
The seminar unfolded in the wake of a series of dramatic events that made global headlines, including an announcement by the United States of its withdrawal from 66 international organizations and that country's forcible seizure of Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, blatantly violating international law and basic norms of international relations.
In discussions on multilateralism and global governance at the Beijing seminar, participants widely echoed China's vision for a global landscape based on "true multilateralism."
China's concept of "true multilateralism" advocates collective decision-making among all 193 United Nations (UN) member states. "Whether the existing international order can survive and thrive depends not on any single great power, but on the collective commitment of all countries to uphold multilateralism," said Liu Zhenmin, China's special envoy for climate change.
"Over the past three decades, since China joined the WTO, we've seen firsthand how multilateralism has benefited not only China but also the whole world. It has been crucial for global stability, peace, development, employment and investment," observed Wang Yizhou, vice president of the China National Association for International Studies.
As a beneficiary and advocate of multilateralism, China has advanced it through initiatives like the Global Governance Initiative (GGI).
The GGI outlines five core principles: adhering to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating a people-centered approach and focusing on taking concrete actions.
"This is a direct response to unilateralism, protectionism and hegemonism, offering China's approach to reforming global governance," said Huang Jin, president of the Chinese Society of International Law. "It's rooted in a clear understanding of the severe imbalances in the current system."
Huang observed that for years, the narrative regarding global governance has been shaped by a few developed nations, with rules often benefiting their specific interests. These rules have not adequately reflected the voices of "the majority of countries" or profound changes in the global landscape.
The GGI emphasizes unity among nations with shared interests, aiming to reflect the collective needs of people worldwide. It asserts that global governance reforms should be determined by "the majority of countries," not just those with the most power.
"I believe international law is the foundation of global governance," Huang said. "Without it, we would return to the law of the jungle, and humanity would be facing disaster."
China's global initiatives are designed to address crucial pillars of cooperation. The Global Development Initiative (GDI) focuses on laying the material foundation, while the Global Security Initiative (GSI) is about security and stability. The Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) aims to foster understanding and the GGI is about institutional frameworks for cooperation.
Abu Bakarr Karim, Sierra Leone's ambassador to China, pointed out that turbulence in the international order affects developing countries the most, especially those in Africa. "We should seize this moment to reflect on how we can better harness our own development," he said.
Commenting on rising geopolitical tensions and competition in pursuit of scarce resources, Wang Fan, former president of China Foreign Affairs University, said innovation in areas like new energy, materials and high-end manufacturing must be advanced to deal with such pressure. ■
