At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Plus summit held in Tianjin under the theme “Implementing Multilateralism, Ensuring Regional Security, and Promoting Sustainable Development,” Chinese President Xi Jinping introduced a Global Governance Initiative aimed at fostering a fairer and more rational global system.
In a keynote address, Xi emphasized the need to draw lessons from the two world wars, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. He highlighted the challenges of a world at a crossroads, grappling with a Cold War mentality, power politics, protectionism, and global turbulence. ” History tells us that at difficult times, we must uphold our original commitment to peaceful coexistence, strengthen our confidence in win-win cooperation, advance in line with the trend of history, and thrive in keeping pace with the times,” Xi stated.
Core Principles of the Global Governance Initiative
Xi outlined five principles to guide the reform of global governance:
- Sovereign Equality: all countries, regardless of size, strength and wealth, are equal participants, decision-makers and beneficiaries in global governance.
- Adherence to International Law: The purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter and other universally recognized basic norms of international relations must be observed comprehensively, fully and in their entirety. International law and rules should be applied equally and uniformly.
- Multilateralism: Strengthen solidarity, oppose unilateralism, and reinforce the UN’s central role in global governance.
- People-Centered Approach: Reforms should promote the global governance system to ensure that the people of every nation are the actors in and beneficiaries of global governance, so as to better tackle the common challenges for mankind, better narrow the North-South gap, and better safeguard the common interests of all countries.
- Action-Oriented Coordination: SCO should adopt a systematic and holistic approach, coordinate global actions, fully mobilize various resources, and strive for more visible outcomes. ”We should enhance practical cooperation to prevent the governance system from lagging behind or being fragmented”.
SCO’s Role in Global Governance
Xi praised the SCO’s 24-year commitment to the “Shanghai Spirit” of mutual trust, equality, and respect for cultural diversity. He positioned the SCO as a key player in reforming global governance, urging it to lead in implementing the initiative. Key areas of focus include:
- Security: SCO member states should continue to uphold the principles of non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party, join efforts in addressing various threats and challenges.
- Economic Cooperation: China will share its market and establish platforms for energy, green industry, and digital economy, alongside centers for scientific innovation, higher education, and professional qualifications. Over the next five years, China plans renewable energy projects exceeding 10 million kWh, an AI Cooperation Center, and contributions to the Beidou Satellite navigation system and an international lunar station.
- Cultural Exchanges: Initiatives include forums on political parties, green development, and traditional medicine, plus medical programs for 500 heart defect treatments, 5,000 cataract surgeries, and 10,000 cancer screenings for SCO countries.
- International Justice: The SCO should continue to unequivocally oppose hegemonism and power politics, practice true multilateralism, and stand as a pillar in promoting a multipolar world and greater democracy in international relations.
China also pledged support for cooperation with the UN, ASEAN, the Eurasian Economic Union, and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA).
Xi concluded with the words by an ancient Chinese philosopher, who said: “Uphold the Great Principle, and the world will follow.” He reaffirmed China’s commitment to international obligations, defending the outcomes of World War II and advancing a shared future for humanity through equitable global governance.
Summit Participants and Response
The SCO Plus summit brought together leaders of SCO member states (Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, India, Iran, Belarus), observer Mongolia, and dialogue partners including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Laos, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Türkiye, and Egypt. Guests included Turkmenistan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, all sides highly appreciated and actively supported the Global Governance Initiative proposed by Xi Jinping. They noted that the growing shortage of global governance, challenges to sustainable development, the growth of unilateralism and the undermining of the authority of the United Nations and international law point to the urgent need for more effective management concepts and systems in the world.
The successful experience of the SCO, based on the “Shanghai Spirit”, clearly demonstrates that different countries can build relations based on the principles of mutual respect, trust and mutual benefit.
The parties agreed to strengthen and deepen cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, innovation, industry, agriculture, as well as join forces to combat terrorism, drug trafficking and cybercrime. The importance of strengthening humanitarian exchanges for the rapprochement of peoples, further strengthening the SCO’s influence and jointly promoting peace, development and progress throughout the world was emphasized. ///nCa, 1 September 2025