摘要：The recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit and China's Victory Day commemorations offered more than ceremonial disp

By Maya Majueran

Lead: China's global governance Initiative provides developing countries with an alternative vision for international cooperation beyond Western-controlled frameworks.

The recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit and China's Victory Day commemorations offered more than ceremonial displays of unity and strength. Together, they marked a pivotal moment for the Global South — one that converged with China's far-reaching intellectual framework: the Global Governance Initiative (GGI). Far from being an abstract proposal, the GGI represents an urgent call to reform a world order that has entrenched inequality, double standards and Western privilege.

The global governance system is increasingly unable to manage today's transnational challenges. From climate change and pandemics to financial instability, rampant unilateralism and protectionism, crises have exposed the fragility of institutions built around the post-World War II consensus. Western dominance of these institutions, backed by power politics, economic coercion and structural advantages, is characterized by a hierarchy that favors the powerful while sidelining much of the developing world.

For decades, the Global South has been pressured to conform to rules crafted by a small group of wealthy nations. Sanctions, interventionist doctrines and conditional aid packages have reinforced a perception of global governance as less about fairness and more about maintaining dominance. This erosion of legitimacy has fueled resentment and the search for alternatives.

In this context, China presented the GGI, not as symbolism, but as a structured response to a system at breaking point.

At its core, the GGI rests on five principles:

●Sovereign equality: All nations, regardless of size, must have an equal say in global affairs.

●International rule of law: Ending selective interpretations of norms.

●Multilateralism: Cooperation and dialogue over bloc politics.

●People-centered approach: Prioritizing human well-being.

●Real actions: Governance must deliver tangible benefits.

These principles chart a course from coercion and double standards toward inclusivity and fairness. The GGI emphasizes action over vague Western promises of reform, appealing to countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The SCO summit and China's Victory Day offered a timely backdrop for the GGI's unveiling. Both highlighted Beijing's role as a diplomatic and strategic anchor for the Global South. The SCO has matured into a platform advocating multipolarity and alternative financial and security arrangements. Meanwhile, Victory Day emphasized sovereignty and self-determination beyond its military displays.

For many in the Global South, these events reinforced the distinction between a governance model that respects sovereignty and one that undermines it. China presents itself not as a patron dictating terms, but as a partner supporting development with no political strings attached. Initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and now the GGI emphasize respect for diverse models, a principle largely absent in Western frameworks.

The GGI's significance lies in how it aligns with the broader awakening of the Global South. Once loosely connected, organizations like BRICS, ASEAN and the African Union are increasingly coordinating calls for reform. With nearly 80% of the world's population, the Global South possesses the resources, markets and moral legitimacy the West can no longer dismiss.

The subtle thaw between China and India, the world's second- and fourth-largest economies, is noteworthy as well. If these two civilizational giants can build pragmatic cooperation under frameworks like the GGI, they would provide the Global South with fresh impetus to reshape international norms.

However, the GGI is not about replacing one hegemonic bloc with another. Its aim is more profound: to reshape the rules of engagement so governance reflects today's multipolar reality. By calling for sovereign equality and multilateralism, the initiative seeks to institutionalize fairness in ways that Western-led institutions have failed to do.

The Global South is no longer content with just resisting Western dominance; it is actively building alternatives. The SCO summit's unity, Victory Day's symbolism and the GGI's principles all point to the same truth: the world is moving toward multipolarity, and its gravitational pull is shifting southward and eastward.

Critics may claim that China's initiatives are self-serving. Yet the GGI offers a coherent and constructive response to the current system's failures. It does not seek to dismantle global governance, but to modernize it for the realities of the 21st century. Its message promotes pluralism over uniformity through dialogue among civilizations, sustainable development and inclusivity.

President Xi Jinping's call is pragmatic. In an era of climate crises, pandemics and economic fragility, no single nation can act alone to tackle the challenges. Without reform, dysfunction will fall hardest on the poorest, but eventually on all. The GGI insists that cooperation, not coercion, is the only viable path forward.

We are at a historic inflection point. The West's once-dominant governance model is showing signs of exhaustion. Meanwhile, the Global South is asserting its place with clarity and purpose. The SCO summit and China's Victory Day show this is no longer an aspiration but a reality.

The GGI provides the framework to carry this momentum forward, including the direction, principles, and pathways for global governance reforms. It delivers vision and constructive alternatives. For a world in crises, the GGI serves as both a timely call and a necessary blueprint for a more balanced, inclusive and effective international order.

Maya Majueran is the founding director of the Belt and Road Initiative Sri Lanka (BRISL), a pioneering organization dedicated to research, dialogue and engagement on the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. Alongside his leadership role, Maya is a researcher and commentator on international relations, economics and geopolitics, with a particular focus on Asia and the Global South's evolving role in world affairs. He is a committed advocate for a multipolar world order and for strengthening the Global South's voice in shaping international systems and advancing economic integration.

来源：中国网一点号