14 October, 2026 European Parliament
Your Excellencies Members of the European Parliament,
Your Excellencies Diplomatic Envoys,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good afternoon.
I want to thank Mr. Ondřej DOSTÁL for the kind invitation. It is a great pleasure to attend this seminar on the future of global governance, and engage in discussions on the important topic of global governance with friends from all sides with a view to deepening mutual understanding and contributing insights into the improvement of global governance.
With changes unseen in a century unfolding at a rapid pace and the international landscape witnessing turbulence and transformation, it is all the more important for the international community to come together for cooperation, practice true multilateralism, and reform and improve global governance to keep it fit for the times. In 2025, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, President Xi Jinping, bearing in mind the trend of our times, solemnly proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI). The initiative addresses a major subject of our times, namely what kind of global governance system to build and how to reform and improve global governance. The GGI is yet another important public good provided by China, following the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), contributing China’s wisdom and proposal to building a more just and equitable global governance system and a community with a shared future for humanity.
The GGI is underpinned by five core concepts: sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, people-centered approach, and real actions.
Adhering to sovereign equality. This is the foremost premise of global governance. All countries, regardless of size, strength or wealth, are equal members of the international community. All countries shall have their sovereignty and dignity respected, their domestic affairs free from external interference, the right to independently choose their social system and development path, and the right to participate in, make decisions in and benefit from the global governance process as equals. Only by ensuring equal participation in global governance and preventing a few from monopolizing it can we build strong synergy through collective efforts.
Abiding by international rule of law. This is the fundamental safeguard for global governance. The purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter are universally recognized basic norms of international relations and an important cornerstone of a stable post-war international order. They must be upheld unwaveringly. International law is fundamental to global governance and must be applied equally and uniformly, without any double standards or selective approaches.
Practicing multilateralism. This is the basic pathway for global governance. Multilateralism is a precious lesson humanity has learned through hardships. It is the only right choice to tackle global challenges. No country can stay immune to rising global challenges and no country can solve all the problems all on its own. Global governance concerns the interests of each and every country. The international community needs to follow the principle of extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, ensuring that all contribute their wisdom and strength and that all share the fruits of cooperation. Unilateralism and bullying practices must be unequivocally rejected.
Advocating the people-centered approach. This is the underpinning value of global governance. The people of all nations are the fundamental actors in global governance, and their well-being is its ultimate goal. Ultimately, global governance should be for the people,rely on the people and benefit the people. Through the reform and improvement of global governance, people in all countries will enjoy a greater sense of gain from common development, a greater sense of security from better responses to global challenges, and a greater sense of happiness as common interests among countries and groups advance.
Focusing on taking real actions. This is an important principle of global governance. The vitality of governance lies in real actions and its goal is to deliver tangible results. The international community needs to take concrete measures and coordinate actions to achieve more meaningful and tangible governance outcomes that people can see and feel for themselves.
The five core concepts are coherently interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Together, they systematically address the fundamental questions of global governance: who participates, what rules should govern it, what path should be followed, whom governance should serve, and how to deliver results. They provide a comprehensive elaboration on the core substance, underlying values and practical imperatives of the GGI.
The GGI addresses not only the immediate challenges facing global governance but also looks to the future, advancing the building of a more just and equitable global governance system. It calls on the international community to pursue solidarity rather than division, cooperation rather than confrontation, and to advance global governance that promotes peace and security, common development, openness and inclusiveness, and multilateral cooperation. In doing so, it injects greater stability and positive energy into a turbulent and uncertain world.
The GGI is not intended to overturn the existing international order or to create a separate framework outside the current international system. Rather, it seeks to make the existing international system and institutions more representative, effective and action-oriented. The core concepts of the GGI stem from the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter. The aim of the GGI is to hold high the banner of multilateralism, to encourage reform and improvement of the global governance so that the system can better reflect the changing international landscape,better respond to the reasonable appeals of all countries, particularly developing ones and address the challenges of our times more promptly and effectively.
The GGI has given a strong boost to the international community’s confidence and resolve to uphold multilateralism and improve global governance. Over the past year, the GGI has evolved from a Chinese proposal into international practice, demonstrating strong vitality and appeal. Nearly 160 countries and international organizations have expressed support for and responded to the GGI, while more than 60 countries have actively joined the Group of Friends of Global Governance, establishing an important multilateral platform for cooperation in implementing the Initiative.
As a responsible major country, China leads by example in practicing true multilateralism and remains committed to being a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. Later this month, China will host the Global Governance Forum in Xiong’an New Area, Hebei Province, bringing together all parties to discuss ways to improve global governance. Next month, China will host the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen under the theme “Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together.” Focusing on three priority areas—openness, innovation and cooperation—the meeting will advance the building of an Asia-Pacific community, turning its vision into action and its blueprint into reality.
China and Europe are two major forces in building a multipolar world, two big markets supporting globalization, and two great civilizations advocating diversity. China-EU relations have gone far beyond bilateral sphere, taking on growing strategic significance and global influence. Multilateralism is the greatest unifying consensus between China and the EU. Last July, when meeting with President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on their joint visit to China, President Xi Jinping pointed out that, China and the EU are both constructive forces for multilateralism and openness and cooperation. The more challenging and complex the international situation becomes, the more China and the EU need to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, and deepen cooperation. China stands ready to work together with the EU to deliver on the important consensus reach by our leaders, practice true multilateralism, strengthen communication, dialogue, coordination and cooperation and contribute to improving global governance together.
First, China is prepared to join hands with the EU in upholding international rules and order. As the main theaters of World War II in the East and West, China and Europe made significant contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the establishment of the post-war international order. The international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law are major achievements of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. China and the EU should firmly uphold the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, resolutely safeguard the authority and central role of the U.N., support U.N. reforms to improve its efficiency, and uphold the international rule of law, fairness and justice.
Second, China is prepared to join hands with the EU in improving the global governance architecture. By working together to place development at the center of the international agenda and enrich the approaches and channels for international development cooperation, China and the EU can help implement the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Both sides support safeguarding the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, ensuring the smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains, building an open world economy, and maintaining a stable and orderly global economic and trade order.
Third, China is prepared to join hands with the EU in responding to global challenges. Green is the defining color of China-EU cooperation. China and the EU could deepen green partnership and strengthen cooperation in key areas such as climate change response, renewable energy and the circular economy. The two sides can jointly uphold the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, and help ensure positive outcomes at the COP31 Antalya Climate change Conference. This would enable both sides to make greater contributions to addressing climate change and advancing the global green transition. China and the EU can also strengthen policy communication on AI, learn from each other’s experience in AI regulation and the technological and industrial applications of AI, and work towards an AI global governance framework based on broad consensus at an early date, promoting AI for good and for all. In July this year, President Xi Jinping announced the establishment of the World AI Cooperation Organization at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference. China welcomes the EU’s active participation. China also stands ready to maintain communication and coordination with the EU, work together to encourage reconciliation and peace talks, promote ceasefires and an end to hostilities, and play a constructive role in pursuing political solutions to regional hotspot issues.
Thank you all.