China's Global Governance Initiative: Five Core Principles From SCO Summit 2025

In September 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) at the largest-ever Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held in Tianjin, China. This landmark proposal represents China's fourth major global initiative, following the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative. The GGI introduces a comprehensive framework outlining five core principles designed to reshape international cooperation and address critical challenges facing the modern world.

What is the Global Governance Initiative?

The Global Governance Initiative marks a pivotal moment in international relations, presenting China's vision for a more just and equitable global governance system. Announced at the SCO Plus Meeting attended by leaders from more than 20 countries and representatives from 10 international organizations, the GGI responds to mounting concerns about unilateralism, hegemonism, and protectionism in global affairs.

According to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the initiative's launch was "the biggest highlight" of the 2025 SCO summit. The GGI's underlying principles align fully with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, firmly supporting the central role of the United Nations in international affairs while encouraging all countries to participate in global governance reform through multilateral mechanisms.

The Five Core Principles of Global Governance

The Global Governance Initiative operates through five fundamental principles that define its approach to international collaboration and world affairs:

1. Sovereign Equality

The first principle emphasizes that all countries, regardless of size, strength, or wealth, are equal participants, decision-makers, and beneficiaries in global governance. This principle promotes greater democracy in international relations and calls for increased representation and voice for developing countries. President Xi stressed that "there should be no double standards, and the house rules of a few countries must not be imposed upon others."

2. International Rule of Law

The second core concept centers on abiding by international rule of law to create a just and orderly global governance system. This principle warns against selective application of international rules according to individual national interests and emphasizes that the United Nations must remain at the core of global governance, with its status and authority firmly safeguarded.

3. True Multilateralism

Practicing genuine multilateralism forms the third pillar of the GGI, promoting greater solidarity and cooperation among all countries. This principle explicitly rejects unilateralism and calls for nations to work together on global challenges, emphasizing that "global affairs should be discussed by all, the global governance system built by all, and the governance outcomes shared by all."

4. People-Centered Approach

The fourth principle advocates for a people-centered approach ensuring universally beneficial and inclusive outcomes of global governance. This concept aims to make the people of every nation both actors in and beneficiaries of global governance, with the goal of better tackling common challenges for mankind, narrowing the North-South gap, and safeguarding the common interests of all countries.

5. Focus on Real Actions

The fifth and final principle emphasizes taking concrete actions for a pragmatic and efficient global governance process. Countries should adopt systematic and holistic approaches, coordinate global actions, fully mobilize various resources, and strive for more visible outcomes. As President Xi stated, "We should enhance practical cooperation to prevent the governance system from lagging behind or being fragmented."

Historical Context: Why Global Governance Reform is Critical Now

The unveiling of the Global Governance Initiative coincides with the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. President Xi noted that while historical trends of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit remain unchanged, the Cold War mentality, hegemonism, and protectionism continue to haunt the world, with new threats and challenges only increasing.

"Global governance has come to a new crossroads," Xi declared, emphasizing that the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. The GGI addresses widening deficits in governance, challenges to sustainable development, and rising unilateralism that threaten international stability and cooperative progress.

International Reception and Global Support

The Global Governance Initiative has received swift and clear support from more than 140 countries and international organizations since its announcement. International leaders attending the SCO summit praised the initiative as timely and relevant, contributing China's wisdom and solutions to pressing issues facing the world today.

Zafar-Ud-Din Mahmood, former special assistant to the Pakistani Prime Minister, called the GGI "a need of the hour and common aspiration of the global community," expressing expectations that it will bring stability, tolerance, peace, and inclusiveness to the world. Kin Phea, director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, noted that the SCO offers "a compelling alternative to zero-sum thinking," emphasizing "listening over dictating, solidarity over supremacy, and shared growth over isolated gains."

China's Concrete Commitments Under the GGI Framework

Beyond theoretical principles, President Xi announced several concrete actions China will take to implement the Global Governance Initiative through SCO cooperation:

• Establishment of three major platforms for China-SCO cooperation in energy, green industry, and the digital economy
• Creation of three major cooperation centers for sci-tech innovation, higher education, and vocational and technical education
• Increase of installed capacity of photovoltaic and wind power by 10 million kilowatts each over the next five years
• Treatment of 500 patients with congenital heart disease across SCO countries
• Performance of 5,000 cataract operations in partner nations
• Implementation of 10,000 cancer screenings for other SCO member states

These commitments demonstrate China's readiness to translate the GGI's principles into tangible benefits for international communities.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization's Role

Founded in Shanghai in June 2001, the SCO has expanded from six founding members into the world's largest regional organization, with cooperation covering more than 50 areas and a combined economic output of nearly 30 trillion U.S. dollars. China's investment stock in other SCO member states has exceeded 84 billion U.S. dollars, with annual bilateral trade surpassing 500 billion U.S. dollars.

President Xi called on the SCO to step up and play a leading role in carrying out the Global Governance Initiative, saying the grouping should contribute to safeguarding world peace and stability while continuing to uphold principles of nonalliance, nonconfrontation, and not targeting any third party. He emphasized that "SCO countries should advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and push for universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization."

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the Global Governance Initiative different from previous international frameworks?

The GGI uniquely combines five comprehensive principles addressing sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, people-centered governance, and concrete actions. Unlike previous frameworks, it explicitly supports UN centrality while advocating for increased representation of developing countries and the Global South in decision-making processes.

How many countries support China's Global Governance Initiative?

More than 140 countries and international organizations have expressed support for the GGI since its announcement at the SCO summit in September 2025. This widespread backing demonstrates broad international recognition of the need for global governance reform.

What is the relationship between the GGI and the United Nations?

The GGI explicitly supports and reinforces the United Nations' central role in international affairs. Its principles align fully with the UN Charter's purposes and principles, aiming to strengthen rather than replace the existing UN-centered international system while advocating for its reform to better represent developing nations.

What are China's practical commitments under the Global Governance Initiative?

China has announced establishment of three major cooperation platforms (energy, green industry, digital economy), three cooperation centers (sci-tech innovation, higher education, vocational training), renewable energy expansion of 10 million kilowatts each for photovoltaic and wind power, plus medical assistance including cardiac treatments, cataract surgeries, and cancer screenings across SCO member states.

How does the GGI address concerns about unilateralism and hegemonism?

The GGI directly confronts unilateralism through its principle of true multilateralism, rejecting double standards and rules imposed by a few countries. It emphasizes that all nations should participate equally in global decision-making regardless of their size or economic power, promoting solidarity over dominance.

Looking Forward: The Future of Global Cooperation

The Global Governance Initiative represents a significant attempt to reshape international relations for the multipolar world of the 21st century. By emphasizing sovereign equality, the rule of law, genuine multilateralism, people-centered development, and concrete actions, the GGI offers an alternative vision to traditional power-based international systems.

As SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev noted, the fact that the Global Governance Initiative was launched on the SCO platform carries "profound symbolic significance," with the people-centered approach standing out as particularly important since "the initiative's central purpose is to advance human development and improve people's livelihoods."

Whether the GGI will successfully reform global governance structures remains to be seen, but its introduction has undeniably sparked important conversations about the future of international cooperation, the role of multilateral institutions, and the balance of power in an increasingly interconnected world.