On September 1st, Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping proposed the so-called “Global Governance Initiative” for the first time at the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization Tianjin Summit.” Experts believe that this initiative, similar to the “Belt and Road” initiative, exposes China’s “global ambitions,” but due to China’s economic weaknesses, such initiatives may end up being empty promises. Furthermore, China’s failure to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights while emphasizing adherence to the UN Charter has been criticized as absurd.
According to Chinese state media reports, at the Tianjin SCO Summit on September 1st, Xi Jinping first proposed the “Global Governance Initiative,” which includes advocating for sovereign equality, adherence to international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, and claiming to “completely and fully uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter,” among other points.
Shen Mingshi, a researcher at the Taiwan Institute for National Defense and Security Studies, told Epoch Times that the so-called “Global Governance Initiative” is essentially the same as previous initiatives proposed by China, such as the “Belt and Road Initiative,” “Global Security Initiative,” “Global Development Initiative,” and “Global Civilization Initiative.” They all aim to lead global development under China’s leadership or promote the Chinese development model. By providing subsidies to these “global South” countries, China aims to counter Western democratic countries led by the United States.
Shen Mingshi pointed out that while these initiatives may sound grandiose, they actually reveal China’s “global ambitions” with the real purpose being to woo these countries through resource infusion or critical infrastructure construction, making these countries dependent on China. The debt trap created by the “Belt and Road Initiative” serves as a prime example of this strategy.
Due to multiple reports of shoddy construction in Chinese infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, doubts have been raised about the feasibility of such initiatives. Recent news revealed significant structural defects in the construction of the massive hydroelectric station, Coca Codo Sinclair, in Ecuador, leading to compensation of $400 million to be paid by a state-owned Chinese enterprise to Ecuador. Similarly, the renovation project of the Novi Sad train station in Serbia, involving Chinese state-owned enterprises, experienced a ceiling collapse last year resulting in 16 fatalities, sparking the largest anti-government protests in Serbia in decades that continue till today.
Shen Mingshi stated that these initiatives from China may all be empty promises, as the most crucial factor is that China lacks the economic strength to lead these countries. Once these countries recognize China’s true capabilities, they may superficially comply but won’t truly follow China.
Professor Li Youtan from National Chengchi University in Taiwan remarked to The Epoch Times that Xi Jinping’s proposal of the Global Governance Initiative, while emphasizing adherence to the UN Charter, is utterly ludicrous. “Please let the People’s Republic of China first respect the two international human rights treaties passed by the United Nations in 1966, namely the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, before lecturing others.”
As of now, China has only ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights in 2001 but has yet to approve the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Li Youtan questioned how China, which avoids facing its human rights abuses and external expansion, can still propose a Global Governance Initiative.
Despite China’s relentless pursuit of its global ambitions, the country is facing increasing challenges. As Beijing’s inner power struggles intensify, the Chinese economy is rapidly deteriorating with foreign capital exiting, industrial output declining, a wave of business closures, rising youth unemployment, and mounting pressures on people’s livelihoods as authorities continue to extract wealth from the population.
However, on August 29th, Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Chaoxu praised Xi’s so-called “building a community with a shared future for humanity” proposal at a commemorative press conference, claiming it provides direction for the world.
Shen Mingshi told The Epoch Times that while China promotes the establishment of a “community with a shared future for humanity,” the governance results under China’s leadership cannot be deemed exemplary for other countries to follow.
Li Youtan pointed out that China has maintained its authoritarian nature since its establishment and under Xi Jinping’s leadership, control has become increasingly stringent, giving rise to digital authoritarianism. Amidst such circumstances, proposing to create a so-called human community is highly shameless.
At the current SCO Summit, Xi Jinping announced providing 2 billion yuan of non-repayable assistance to member countries by the end of 2025 and an additional 10 billion yuan in loans to new member banks over the next three years.
Li Youtan emphasized that since the so-called reform and opening-up, the economic fruits of the Chinese people’s labor have all been monopolized by the Chinese Communist Party. With these developing countries holding seats at the UN, China is coercing many of them and forming a UN hegemony to counter the Western world, a fact that the Western world needs to recognize.
In recent years, discontent among the Chinese population has been accumulating, with people in China declaring, “We don’t need anyone to show us the way.”
On April 15th this year, banners hung on an overpass outside a bus station in Chadian, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, with slogans such as “Without political system reform, there is no national rejuvenation,” “The people don’t need a party with unlimited power,” and “China doesn’t need anyone to show us the way; democracy is the way forward.”