Moderator
Yu Ying, Wenhui Daily reporter
Guests
Cai Cuihong, Deputy Director of the Center for Global AI Innovative Governance, and Professor at the Institute of International Studies, Fudan University
Mao Ruipeng, Director and Research Fellow of the Institute for Global Governance Studies, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies
Wan Qingsong, Deputy Director and Research Fellow of the Russian Studies Center, East China Normal University
September 6, 2026, on page 5 of the Wenhui Daily Theory Weekly
Editor's Note
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tianjin Summit held in September last year, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) in a solemn manner. Over the past year, a series of practical measures have taken root, and the GGI has been transformed from a Chinese proposal into international practice. China has actively advocated an equal and orderly multipolar world and consistently emphasized pooling the strength of the SCO through the “Shanghai Spirit” to promote the reform and improvement of global governance. After 25 years of development, the SCO has successfully established a model of a new type of international relations. At the SCO Bishkek Summit, President Xi Jinping pointed out that promoting the global governance system toward greater justice and equity is the mission and responsibility of the SCO. How should we understand the substance and significance of the GGI? How can we further consolidate the “Shanghai Spirit” and guide the reform and improvement of global governance? This newspaper invited three scholars to discuss these questions.
Source: Visual China
Moderator: Over the past year since the GGI was proposed, its substance and implementation have continued to expand: the “Group of Friends of the Global Governance Initiative” has continued to grow; the white paper Building a More Just and Equitable Global Governance System: China's Concepts, Initiatives and Actions was released; and the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization was established in Shanghai. How should we accurately understand the rich substance and contemporary significance of the GGI?
Cai Cuihong: The GGI directly addresses the deep-rooted contradictions in global governance and opens up new thinking for building a more just and equitable global governance system. The first anniversary of the initiative comes at a time of profound adjustment in the international order. The existing governance system has struggled to adapt to changes in the distribution of power brought about by the collective rise of the Global South, and has also struggled to effectively respond to the governance needs of cross-border issues such as artificial intelligence and climate change. To accurately understand its substance and significance, we need to examine it from two dimensions: “breaking” and “building.”
Let us first consider the “breaking” dimension. The GGI directly confronts three deep-rooted shortcomings of the existing governance system. First is the imbalance in the distribution of power. The global governance architecture has long remained anchored in the postwar order and has failed to reflect profound changes in the balance of international power. The Global South remains seriously underrepresented and underrepresented in rule-making. Second is the lag in the rules system. Emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and climate change lack effective international rules, while technologically advanced countries monopolize rule-making authority, leaving developing countries at risk of being subject to rules formulated by others. Third is the lack of capacity for collective action. A large number of international consensuses remain at the level of declarations, while multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations face growing obstacles in coordinating global action, exacerbating governance fragmentation and institutional inertia.
Now consider the “building” dimension. In response to these shortcomings, the GGI provides a systematic alternative. At the conceptual level, the initiative establishes a governance philosophy centered on sovereign equality, the rule of international law, multilateralism, a people-centered approach, and an action-oriented approach. It provides a theoretical foundation for developing countries to move from being “rule-takers” to becoming “co-builders of rules.” At the systemic level, the GGI forms a complete logical framework together with the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, jointly serving the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. At the practical level, from the continued expansion of the “Group of Friends of the Global Governance Initiative” to the release of the white paper, and from the establishment of the World Data Organization to the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization in China, the initiative is moving from ideas toward institutional provision. China's participation in global governance is also shifting from putting forward proposals toward building platforms, establishing mechanisms, and providing global public goods.
Wan Qingsong: In terms of its substance, the GGI is grounded in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and carries forward the concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits in global governance. It has developed five core principles, forming a logically coherent and comprehensive conceptual framework for a new type of global governance. Sovereign equality is the fundamental prerequisite: it rejects the logic of power-based governance dominated by the West and safeguards the legitimate right of all countries to participate equally in governance and share its benefits. The rule of international law provides institutional support: it advocates the uniform, fair, and non-discriminatory application of international law and seeks to lay the foundation for good global governance through sound international law. Multilateralism is the core pathway: it firmly upholds the central role of the United Nations, rejects unilateral hegemony, bloc confrontation, and group politics, and seeks to pool collective strength for global governance. A people-centered approach is the value core: it moves beyond a purely geopolitical and interest-based mindset and focuses on the common well-being of people in all countries. An action-oriented approach is its distinctive feature: it rejects governance practices that prioritize rhetoric and declarations over implementation and seeks to address the problems of lagging and fragmented global governance through pragmatic measures. These five principles are organically integrated. They both carry forward China's long-standing diplomatic philosophy and governance wisdom and respond to the demands of global governance reform in the new era, thereby advancing and innovating the theoretical substance of global governance.
The GGI closely aligns with the contemporary trend of changes in the international balance of power and points the way toward reforming the global governance system. At the same time, it serves as a concrete vehicle for the concept of a community with a shared future for humanity, translating the broad vision of shared human values into actionable, implementable, and collaborative governance principles and action plans, thereby providing solid institutional and practical support for building a community with a shared future for humanity. In addition, the initiative effectively consolidates the Global South's consensus on reform, promotes a restructuring of the discourse power in global governance, advances the democratization of international relations, and injects valuable certainty and positive energy into a turbulent and changing world.
Mao Ruipeng: The GGI injects a stabilizing force into the healthy development of the international system. Today's world is marked by intertwined turbulence and uncertainty, and global governance faces enormous uncertainty. Traditional global governance centered on rules, institutions, and cooperation is increasingly being driven by nationalism, geopolitics, and strategic competition. There are pronounced trends toward securitizing governance issues, politicizing economic issues, and bloc-based approaches to technological issues. The GGI emphasizes five core principles and supports the United Nations in playing its role as the main channel, which helps ensure that global governance develops in the right direction.
The GGI provides guidance for reforming and improving the global governance system. The collective rise of the Global South is profoundly reshaping the international landscape and is increasingly becoming an important force in restructuring the international order. Dissatisfaction among developing countries with governance injustice, imbalanced rules, and a lack of voice continues to rise. The GGI has become an important link for the Global South to unite and strengthen itself, promoting the transformation of global governance toward greater justice and equity.
The GGI contributes to addressing the global governance deficit and responding to global challenges. It emphasizes an action-oriented approach, focuses on problem-solving, and provides a pragmatic pathway for the international community to jointly address common challenges. In October 2025, the International Organization for Mediation began operations in Hong Kong. The number of countries that have signed the convention has now reached 46, providing a new multilateral platform for the peaceful resolution of international disputes. In July 2026, 29 countries signed the Agreement on the Establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization in Shanghai, opening up a new pathway for international cooperation on global AI governance.
Moderator: Integrating knowledge and action, with action speaking louder than words, and emphasizing an action-oriented approach are among the five core principles of the GGI. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the need for systematic planning and coordinated implementation, coordinating global action, fully mobilizing resources from all sides, and delivering more tangible results, while avoiding governance delays and fragmentation through pragmatic cooperation. China has actively implemented the GGI through a series of practical measures, turning Chinese proposals from concepts into practice. What lessons does this offer for improving global governance?
Wan Qingsong: First, China combines conceptual guidance with pragmatic implementation, turning governance proposals into visible and tangible practical outcomes. China has issued concept papers and white papers to clarify its governance positions and build international consensus, while advancing the establishment of multilateral mechanisms such as the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization and the International Organization for Mediation, as well as implementing “small yet impactful” livelihood cooperation projects, translating broad governance visions into concrete results.
Second, China combines systematic planning with breakthroughs in key areas to address the fragmentation of global governance. Global challenges are deeply interconnected, and piecemeal efforts and fragmented responses are no longer sufficient. On the one hand, the four major global initiatives should work together in a coordinated manner, strengthening cross-sectoral policy coordination. On the other hand, efforts should focus on the practical problems of greatest concern to developing countries, using breakthroughs in key areas to drive improvements in overall governance, combining comprehensive coordination with targeted problem-solving.
Third, China combines addressing immediate problems with addressing their root causes, balancing crisis response with long-term institutional reform. In the face of urgent crises during a period of global turbulence and transformation, China responds to immediate risks through pragmatic cooperation while also taking a long-term view by advancing reform of the global governance system, improving the provision of rules, and addressing institutional shortcomings, thereby balancing emergency response with institution-building.
Fourth, China combines multilateral mechanisms centered on the United Nations with diverse partnership networks, broadly mobilizing governance resources. China firmly upholds the central role of the United Nations in global governance and makes effective use of multilateral platforms such as the G20 and the SCO. At the same time, it builds networks for cooperation, mobilizes diverse actors to participate, and brings together collective strength for global governance.
Fifth, China upholds the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, practicing a new model of cooperation that seeks results through action. It rejects the old governance logic of hegemonic dominance and zero-sum competition and does not impose its own solutions on others. China is not only the proposer of initiatives but also an actor implementing them. Through its own actions, it sets an example, respects differences in countries' stages of development, takes into account the practical capacities of developing countries, and pursues a new path of governance centered on dialogue, consultation, and concrete action.
Mao Ruipeng: Conceptual articulation and the development of institutional vehicles should advance simultaneously. For ideas to exert influence, they require both authoritative texts for systematic articulation and substantive platforms to support multilateral dialogue. China has successively issued the Concept Paper on the Global Governance Initiative and the white paper Building a More Just and Equitable Global Governance System: China's Concepts, Initiatives and Actions, presenting the conceptual framework systematically to the international community. The “Group of Friends of the Global Governance Initiative,” established in December 2025, conducts regular consultations in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and its influence continues to grow.
China advances breakthroughs in key areas while pursuing overall progress. Global governance reform involves complex issues, making it necessary to first achieve progress in areas where challenges are concentrated and consensus is relatively strong. In AI governance, for example, international discussions often focus on risk regulation while overlooking practical bottlenecks faced by developing countries, such as limited computing capacity, high electricity costs, and insufficient pools of professional talent. While participating in international discussions on rules, China is simultaneously promoting capacity building and talent training, seeking to bridge the North-South divide in the field of AI.
China adheres to the principles of genuine multilateralism and establishes inclusive cooperation mechanisms. The “Group of Friends of the Global Governance Initiative” operates on a voluntary participation basis, while the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization includes members from multiple regions across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. In advancing cooperation, China fully considers differences in countries' stages of development and respects the interests and concerns of different actors. Rather than exporting predetermined solutions, it builds consensus through consultation among multiple parties and strengthens the foundation for cooperation.
China follows a people-centered approach and a philosophy of gradual reform. The GGI takes full account of the evolution of the international order and the practical conditions of developing countries. In terms of pathways for systemic change, it adopts an incremental reform approach, continuously improving and optimizing the existing international system while gradually advancing the global governance system toward greater justice and equity.
Cai Cuihong: The fact that the GGI places an “action-oriented approach” among its five core principles is not accidental. Global governance can only generate genuine governance effectiveness when it is translated into institutional arrangements and cooperative actions that address practical problems. The most prominent problem facing global governance today is that global issues are multiplying rapidly, while governance mechanisms capable of effectively coordinating resources and generating collective action remain relatively inadequate.
A problem-oriented approach is needed to translate broad concepts into concrete agendas. AI is a typical example. The field is characterized by rapid technological iteration and strong spillover effects, while significant capability gaps exist among countries. It is difficult to establish genuinely effective global governance if rules are formulated solely by a small number of technologically advanced countries. The establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization is precisely an effort to create an open intergovernmental cooperation platform in response to this real problem, integrating development, security, rules, and capacity building within a single governance framework. Starting from concrete problems to identify areas for cooperation keeps governance discussions focused on actual needs.
A mechanism-oriented approach is needed to turn political consensus into sustainable capacity for cooperation. Global governance cannot rely indefinitely on individual summits or policy statements. Consensus must be transformed into institutions through international organizations, cooperation platforms, rules and standards, and long-term projects. From the continued expansion of the “Group of Friends of the Global Governance Initiative” to the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization and the World Data Organization in China, these developments reflect a progressive logic moving from concepts to mechanisms and from initiatives to institutional provision.
An open and inclusive approach is needed to expand the substantive participation of the Global South in global governance. The legitimacy of global governance derives from broad participation. If developing countries can only passively accept technologies and rules, global governance itself will struggle to achieve fairness and sustainability. The principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits advocated by China attaches importance not only to the right to make rules but also to the right to development and participation, enabling more countries to shift from being “governed” to becoming “co-governors.”
Moderator: “Looking back, despite the turbulent clouds, we have achieved success by practicing the ‘Shanghai Spirit.’” After a quarter century, under the guidance of the “Shanghai Spirit,” the SCO has demonstrated vigorous vitality and strong appeal, increasingly becoming an active force in building and reforming the global governance system. Looking ahead, how can we further promote the transformation of the “Shanghai Spirit” into effective cooperation for regional development and global governance?
Mao Ruipeng: Over its 25 years, the SCO's most valuable spiritual legacy has been its pioneering development and consistent adherence to the “Shanghai Spirit.” Fully translating the “Shanghai Spirit” into governance effectiveness is both the SCO's mission in the new era and a practical requirement for responding to the trend toward a multipolar world.
Mutual trust and mutual benefit should be translated into institutional arrangements to consolidate the foundation for jointly pursuing development. To make the “Shanghai Spirit” take root, the principles of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, and consultation must be translated into concrete rules and institutions. On the basis of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, international relations should be advanced through the rule of law, while continuously increasing the representation and voice of Global South countries in international affairs.
Development should remain a priority to unleash regional growth. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the need to “use the strength of the SCO to drive prosperity and common development across the Eurasian continent” and to “connect multiple growth poles across Eurasia through high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.” Development should remain a priority and security the foundation, while continuously expanding areas of cooperation and unleashing development momentum so that more countries can share the benefits of development.
Multilateralism should be upheld to contribute wisdom to global governance. Multilateralism, dialogue, and consultation are key pathways, while mutual benefit, win-win cooperation, and inclusiveness are the direction of development. The concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits in global governance should be upheld, along with partnerships rather than alliances and dialogue rather than confrontation, using “SCO action” to guide global governance in the right direction.
People-to-people connectivity should be transformed into a lasting force for friendship across generations, strengthening the humanistic foundation of cooperation. Ultimately, the “Shanghai Spirit” is intended to benefit people. China has announced the establishment of the China-SCO Basic Education Cooperation Center and continues to develop flagship programs such as Confucius Institutes and Luban Workshops, while deepening youth exchanges and people-to-people interactions. These measures will strengthen the talent base for the region's long-term development and build greater public support for cooperation.
Cai Cuihong: After a quarter century, the core substance of the “Shanghai Spirit”—mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations, and pursuit of common development—remains highly relevant today. It addresses a fundamental question that has long challenged international cooperation: Can countries with different histories and cultures, stages of development, and social systems establish long-term and stable cooperative relationships on the basis of respecting their differences? The value of the “Shanghai Spirit” extends beyond the SCO itself and is intrinsically consistent with the GGI. To translate its conceptual value into practical effectiveness, efforts are needed in three directions.
First, the SCO should strengthen its capacity to translate outcomes into concrete results, turning political trust into tangible cooperation. As the membership and partnership network continues to expand, the SCO's agenda has extended beyond traditional security to trade and economic cooperation, energy, green development, and other areas. As the organization grows, policy coordination and project implementation also become more difficult. In the future, political trust needs to be further translated into concrete achievements in infrastructure connectivity, trade and investment facilitation, industrial cooperation, and improvements in people's livelihoods. The more tangible the results of cooperation, the stronger the practical foundation of the “Shanghai Spirit.”
Second, the SCO should serve as a bridge connecting regional governance and global governance, offering the international community an example of how differences can coexist. SCO members encompass diverse civilizations, development paths, and countries of different sizes, while also bringing together a large number of Global South countries. The SCO's accumulated experience in equal consultation, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and gradual cooperation has reference value beyond the region. Against the backdrop of mounting pressure on countries to “take sides,” the SCO can demonstrate through its own practice that diversity does not necessarily lead to confrontation and that differences can also become a starting point for cooperation.
Third, the “Shanghai Spirit” should be extended to emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and digital governance, giving it new contemporary vehicles. The establishment of the headquarters of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization in Shanghai provides practical conditions for this extension. In the future, these emerging fields can further translate the principles of equal consultation, openness and inclusiveness, and common development into rule-making, capacity building, and technological cooperation, generating more public goods for the Global South.
Wan Qingsong: Political trust should be continuously deepened to consolidate the foundation of multilateral cooperation and governance. SCO member states have consistently adhered to the principles of equal consultation and mutual respect, maintained a cooperative orientation of non-alliance, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of third parties, and conducted regular multilateral strategic communication. By building consensus and managing differences, they have continuously promoted the democratization of international relations, laying a solid political foundation for regional collaborative governance and participation in global governance.
Common security cooperation should be deepened to build a stable regional security barrier. SCO member states continue to practice a new concept of common security and coordinate responses to both traditional and non-traditional security challenges. By promoting peace through dialogue and resolving disputes through consultation, they continue to contribute “SCO strength” to regional stability and global security governance.
Pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation should be expanded to unleash momentum for common regional development. SCO member states are committed to mutual benefit and common development and are deepening cooperation in trade and investment, the digital economy, green energy, and other fields. By implementing more practical projects that benefit people's livelihoods, improving financial cooperation mechanisms, and keeping industrial and supply chains flowing, they can demonstrate the value of the “Shanghai Spirit” through tangible development outcomes.
Openness and inclusiveness should be upheld to empower and actively contribute to global governance reform. SCO member states should deepen exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, overcoming barriers and misconceptions of confrontation among civilizations. They should continue to improve the organization's institutional mechanisms, firmly uphold the international system centered on the United Nations, and actively represent the voices of developing countries, transforming SCO governance practices into global public goods.
Views
Cai Cuihong: From the continued expansion of the “Group of Friends of the Global Governance Initiative” to the release of the white paper, and from the establishment of the World Data Organization to the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization in China, the GGI is moving from concepts toward institutional provision.
Mao Ruipeng: Making the “Shanghai Spirit” take root means translating the principles of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, and consultation into rules and institutions, while continuously increasing the representation and voice of Global South countries in international affairs.
Wan Qingsong: China is not only the proposer of initiatives but also an actor implementing them. It respects differences in countries' stages of development, takes into account the practical capacities of developing countries, and pursues a new path of governance centered on dialogue, consultation, and concrete action.
Original Link: https://www.shobserver.cn/journal/article/share?id=532447&sessionid=
