China's Xi proposes new global governance initiative

China's Xi proposes new global governance initiative

Chinese President Xi Jinping, addressing the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tianjin on September 1, 2025, proposed a new global governance initiative aimed at challenging the current international order. The SCO, which comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, is positioning itself as an alternative to traditional alliances.

Xi criticized "bullying behaviour" from certain countries, a veiled reference to the United States, and emphasized the need for fairness and justice in global governance. He called for the SCO to uphold a "correct historical perspective on World War II" and to oppose the "Cold War mentality" and "block confrontation and bullying practices" [1].

The Chinese President also highlighted the importance of mutual benefit and win-win results, stating that SCO member states should leverage their mega-sized markets and economic complementarity to improve trade and investment facilitation. He proposed that the SCO should align development strategies and promote the high-quality implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) [2].

Xi pledged to provide 2 billion yuan (approximately $281 million) in grants to member states within this year and a further 10 billion yuan of loans to a SCO banking consortium. He emphasized the need for mutual understanding and friendship through people-to-people exchanges and called for the SCO to cultivate a garden of civilizations where all cultures flourish in prosperity and harmony [3].

The SCO Summit 2025 reflects the growing importance of multipolarity in global governance. Xi's initiative comes at a time when the U.S. President Donald Trump's transactional bullying has alienated many of its allies, providing an opportunity for the SCO to demonstrate an alternative vision of global governance.

References:
[1] https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/shanghai-cooperation-organisation-chinese-president-xi-jinping-speech/article69998770.ece
[2] https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10565899
[3] https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-xi-russias-putin-share-vision-new-global-order-security-forum-2025-09-01/