China marks first Global Governance Initiative anniversary

Moroke Sekoboto

CHINA has called for a more democratic and equitable international system, arguing that small states and countries of the Global South must have a greater voice in shaping global affairs.

Chinese Ambassador to Lesotho, Yang Xiaokun, made the call this week as the Chinese Embassy hosted a seminar in Maseru to mark the first anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI).

Mr Yang said the initiative, launched on 1 September 2026 against the backdrop of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, sought to address what China views as growing challenges to the international governance system.

“The world is undergoing accelerating changes unseen in a century, while hegemonism, unilateralism and protectionism are resurging against historical trends,” Mr Yang said.

“Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority of the world does not condone power politics, conflict and confrontation, or isolation and backwardness. What most people want instead is to hold a place on the world stage through national development and international cooperation.”

He said the GGI was based on five core concepts: sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, a people-centred approach and real results.

“Countries, whether large or small, strong or weak, developed or developing, are equal members of the international community. Every nation’s sovereignty and dignity must be respected, and all countries are equally entitled to participate in, deliberate on, and benefit from global governance,” he said.

On international law, Mr Yang said a global governance system grounded in the rule of law was necessary to create a fair environment for development and ensure a more just international order.

He described multilateralism as “the only viable path forward”, saying no country could achieve development outside the global governance system or secure its future without international cooperation.

The people-centred approach, he said, required global governance to serve public interests, boost public confidence and meet public expectations, while the focus on results required countries to turn their shared vision into concrete action.

Mr Yang said the five principles were rooted in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and reflected the aspirations of most countries.

“As a responsible major country, China advocates for an equal and orderly multipolar world,” he said.

He stressed that reforming global governance did not mean dismantling the existing international order or creating a parallel system.

“Rather, the goal is to make the existing international system and international institutions better at taking actions, working effectively, adapting to changes, responding promptly and effectively to various global challenges, and serving the interests of all countries, particularly developing ones,” he said.

The GGI, Mr Yang said, was part of a wider Chinese framework comprising the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative.

Together, he said, the four initiatives formed a “holistic framework” for building a community with a shared future for humanity, addressing development, security, civilisation and governance challenges.

Mr Yang said the GGI had gained international support during its first year, evolving from a Chinese proposal into what he described as international practice.

“It is fully aligned with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and has quickly won the support and positive responses of nearly 160 countries and international organizations. More than 60 countries have joined the Group of Friends of Global Governance,” he said.

He said China had also taken steps to translate the initiative into concrete action, citing the commencement of operations of the International Organization for Mediation and the establishment in China of the World Data Organization and World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization.

The ambassador placed particular emphasis on the position of small and medium-sized states and the Global South.

He said the trend towards a multipolar world was irreversible and that all countries, regardless of their size, strength or wealth, should enjoy equal rights, opportunities and rules.

“As an important part of a multipolar world and a key driving force behind it, the Global South ought to have greater representation and voice in international affairs,” Mr Yang said.

He warned against smaller countries being pressured to choose sides in international relations.

“It is unfair and unreasonable to ignore or even harm the interests of small states and force them to choose sides. This must be corrected through greater democracy in international relations,” he said.

“China is a true friend of small and medium-sized countries and has always stood together with them.”

Mr Yang said small states accounted for the vast majority of the 193 UN member states and therefore had an important role in determining whether the global governance system was fair and equitable.

He said their voices should be heard on issues including climate change, sustainable development and international law.

He said the principles were particularly relevant to Africa, where the rise of the Global South was creating opportunities for African countries to play a greater role internationally.

“China has consistently supported Africa in playing a greater role on the international stage, redressing historical injustice and enhancing its representation and voice in the multilateral governing system,” he said.

Mr Yang noted that Lesotho was one of the 43 founding members of the Group of Friends of Global Governance, saying the country’s participation demonstrated the role African and developing countries could play in shaping the international governance agenda.

He also pointed to growing China-Lesotho cooperation, saying the two countries had reaffirmed their commitment to opposing unilateral sanctions, protectionism and economic hegemonism and promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world.

He said high-level exchanges had produced tangible cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, renewable energy and human resources development.

With China and Africa celebrating the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges and Lesotho marking 60 years of independence, Mr Yang said 2026 offered an opportunity to deepen cooperation in education, culture, youth development and academic exchanges.

The seminar also brought academic scrutiny of the GGI.

National University of Lesotho (NUL) Head of Political and Administrative Studies, Dr Mamello Rakolobe, said universities had a role in examining the initiative’s implications for the international order and Africa.

She called for stronger cooperation between NUL and the Chinese Embassy through joint policy research, student mentorship, academic exchanges and research fellowships.

“For a global initiative to succeed, it requires the rigorous analytical backing of local scholars who understand the domestic policy landscape,” Dr Rakolobe said.

She said the rise of the Global South demanded a governance framework that reflected the realities of the modern international system.

Also speaking, NUL Faculty of Social Sciences lecturer, Dr Tlohang Letsie, said the GGI sought to address what he described as significant imbalances in global governance.

“China introduced the GGI to address severe imbalances in how the world is currently run,” Dr Letsie said, arguing that developing countries represented the majority of the world’s population but remained under-represented in major institutions such as the IMF, World Bank and WTO.

He said the initiative also responded to declining levels of trust, peace and security and emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence and cyber threats.

Dr Letsie said developing countries would need to participate actively in initiatives such as BRICS and the African Union and push for institutional reforms, including changes to the UN Security Council and international financial institutions.

“The GGI represents a major shift toward an inclusive, multipolar world in which a few wealthy powers do not dictate international rules,” he said.

However, Dr Letsie noted that Western countries remained sceptical of the initiative, viewing it as an attempt by China to reshape global rules in favour of state-centric models and reduce Western influence.

The seminar therefore presented both the Chinese government’s case for the GGI and an academic examination of its implications, particularly for Africa and smaller states such as Lesotho.

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