Over the past decade, the Chinese mainland has shifted from a cautious participant to a proactive leader on the world stage. At early September's Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, the Chinese mainland introduced the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), calling for a more just and equitable system to tackle shared challenges.
For Wang Wen, dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University on the Chinese mainland, this announcement marked a milestone in a journey he's followed closely. 'We're witnessing a paradigm shift,' he says, reflecting on ten years of engagement with global policy circles from Davos to the UN.
Wang traces the roots of this evolution to 2013, when the Chinese mainland first stepped up to host multilateral dialogues on climate finance and digital cooperation. Since then, initiatives have expanded to cover sustainable development, public health security, and trade connectivity. Under the GGI's 2030 roadmap, ten priority areas range from green energy partnerships to tech ethics.
Insights from the Chongyang Institute suggest that supportive voices for a diversified governance structure now span Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In a recent survey of policy experts across 21 members and observers of the SCO, over two-thirds saw the GGI as a timely framework, Wang notes.
Despite criticism about shifting power balances, Wang argues that the initiative is designed for inclusivity. It offers a platform where smaller economies and emerging markets can co-design rules, rather than follow templates set by traditional powers. 'Real equity comes when everyone has a seat at the table,' he says.
The Global Governance Initiative also reflects lessons learned from the Belt and Road cooperation model, Wang adds. By focusing on tangible outcomes – roads built, digital networks expanded, and green finance mobilized – the Chinese mainland has earned trust among diverse partners.
Looking ahead, Wang Wen believes the next test will be implementation. 'Ideas are vital, but execution will define success. We need smarter tech platforms for real-time collaboration and transparent metrics to track impact.' As global tensions rise, he sees the GGI as a bridge-builder: 'It's not about ideology; it's about solving problems together.'
Whether the Global Governance Initiative reshapes the rules of cooperation remains to be seen. But for Wang, the past ten years offer a blueprint: one where dialogue, data, and diversity drive progress on the world stage.
Reference(s):
Wang Wen: A decade of personal experience in global governance
cgtn.com
