At the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Plus meeting in Tianjin, Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled the Global Governance Initiative, a framework rooted in millennia of Chinese philosophy and designed to address contemporary challenges. The initiative, introduced on September 1 this year, outlines five principles: sovereign equality, adherence to international law, multilateralism, a people-centered approach, and action-oriented solutions inspired by traditional Chinese medicine.
Professor Wang Yiwei, Vice President of the Academy of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era at Renmin University, emphasized the initiative’s contrast with Western models. “Global governance must follow intrinsic laws rather than arbitrary coercion,” he noted, drawing parallels to Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist traditions. The approach prioritizes dynamic balance (“治”) and adherence to principles (“理”), reflecting China’s emphasis on harmony and systemic reform.
The initiative aligns with three traditional ‘co-’ principles: co-existence (shared responsibility across nations), co-action (holistic problem-solving to avoid secondary crises), and co-heaven (integration of environmental and technological governance). These principles underpin China’s advocacy for a UN-centered international system and its role in platforms like BRICS and the Belt and Road Initiative.
Wang highlighted the initiative’s divergence from Western governance paradigms, comparing it to the difference between traditional Chinese medicine and “Western medicine.” By emphasizing collective action and the Global South’s participation, China positions itself as a proponent of equitable multilateralism amid rising geopolitical tensions.
