As China convenes its annual Two Sessions, global attention turns to President Xi Jinping’s vision of fostering a global community with a shared future. Central to this vision are China’s key global initiatives: the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). These initiatives underscore China’s commitment to multilateralism and a multipolar world order.
Experts worldwide offer varied perspectives on how these initiatives resonate globally. John Mearsheimer, a distinguished professor of political science at the University of Chicago, believes that while many countries, especially in the Global South, welcome China’s efforts, the United States views them with concern. “They may resonate with many countries around the world… From China’s point of view, this is wonderful,” he notes. “From an American point of view, this is not a good thing because the Americans want to reduce Chinese influence around the world; they don’t want to see it increase.”
Kerry Brown, Director of the Lau China Institute at King’s College London, emphasizes that China’s message is particularly powerful in certain regions. “There are places where China’s message is more palatable and powerful and countries do listen,” he says. “Most understand that China’s approach has been extremely unique and specific.”
Gladden Pappin, president of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs, highlights the importance of overcoming zero-sum mentalities. “It seems that China has a different view… that there can be shared development,” he remarks. “We have to push back against this idea that there’s a zero-sum mentality in the world, that the benefit of one always comes at the expense of the other.”
Erik Solheim, former undersecretary-general of the United Nations, envisions the 21st century as the Asian century, characterized by a multipolar world order. He underscores the necessity of improved relations between China and the United States. “We need to improve the relations between China and the U.S. because if the main powers of the world work together, it would be so much stronger to solve the key issues of the day,” Solheim asserts.
Amidst narratives of economic competition and geopolitical tensions, a nuanced understanding of China’s global initiatives is essential. Brown encourages keeping an open mind to comprehend the complexities of modern China. “I encourage people to keep an open mind… I don’t think that captures the complexity of what modern China is all about,” he says.
As China actively engages in multilateralism and shapes the contours of the 21st-century world, constructive engagement and dialogue among major powers become increasingly imperative. Embracing shared development and overcoming zero-sum mentalities are essential steps toward building a more inclusive and collaborative international order.
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China's key initiatives promote multilateralism in a multi-polar world
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