China’s Global Governance Initiative, announced by President Xi Jinping, received widespread praise at the United Nations on Monday, becoming a central theme of discussions at a forum marking the UN’s 80th anniversary.
Speaking at the event, Fu Cong, China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, noted that the organization was born eight decades ago out of the devastation of two world wars. Today, he said, the world is facing “a critical period of turbulence and transformation.” Improving and strengthening global governance, he added, is now “an irresistible trend and a call of the people.”
Fu stressed that with the rise of the Global South, the existing system of global governance has grown outdated. He described Xi’s initiative as “an important public good contributed by China to the world.” He further emphasized that its five core principles are rooted in the UN Charter, reflecting China’s firm support for the UN and multilateralism. China, he said, will work with all parties to advance a “fairer and more equitable global governance system.”
Li Chunhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, warned that progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals is “worryingly off track.” He hailed China’s proposal as a “timely contribution” in support of multilateralism.
Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, said China’s experience in poverty reduction, connectivity, and green development has benefitted developing countries. She called the Global Governance Initiative “another promising step.”
Other speakers included Jeffrey Sachs, Director of Columbia University’s Center for Sustainable Development; Singaporean scholar Kishore Mahbubani; and Nell Calloway, granddaughter of General Claire Lee Chennault, commander of the Flying Tigers. Diplomats from Nicaragua, Pakistan, Russia, Qatar, and Morocco also attended the forum.
Source: Shuvo-Faisal, Xinhua