On May 28, the "Group of Friends of Global Governance" meeting was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, with the theme of "Reforming and Improving Global Governance and Working Together to Address Global Challenges." Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Representatives from more than 60 countries attended the meeting, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar of Pakistan, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Meredov of Turkmenistan, Foreign Minister Rodriguez of Cuba, Foreign Minister Kurubaev of Kyrgyzstan, Foreign Minister Mulvilla of Zimbabwe, First Deputy Foreign Minister Ashkbayev of Kazakhstan, and State Secretary Parid of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia.
The panel members believed that today’s world has entered a period of turbulent change, the United Nations and the multilateral system are facing increasing pressure, and the global governance deficit continues to expand. All parties welcome the global governance initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and its five core concepts - upholding sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating people-centeredness, and focusing on action orientation. They appreciate that the global governance initiative is in line with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and aims to defend and practice multilateralism and strengthen the core role of the United Nations in international affairs.
Members of the group affirmed the efforts made by the group on issues related to global governance since its establishment, and conducted in-depth exchanges on how to reform and improve the global governance system and reached broad consensus. In order to work together to address global challenges, the panel members called on the international community to make the following efforts:
——Uphold the authority of the United Nations. Recognize that the United Nations is an important outcome of the victory in World War II, and affirm its irreplaceable and important contributions to safeguarding world peace, promoting sustainable development, and protecting and promoting human rights over the past 80 years since its establishment. We firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and emphasize that the role of the United Nations can only be strengthened and cannot be weakened, especially by unilateral actions or politicized or selective means.
——Defend the international rule of law. Maintain multilateralism based on international law to strengthen international peace and security, develop friendly and cooperative relations among countries, and uphold the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, including respecting the sovereign equality, territorial integrity and political independence of states, non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, no use of force or the threat of force in international relations, and peaceful settlement of disputes. Emphasizing neutrality, dialogue and confidence-building measures can help maintain peace and security.
——Strengthen unity and cooperation. Practice true multilateralism, rebuild bilateral and multilateral mutual trust, strengthen dialogue and consultation, develop international partnerships, deepen cooperation between the United Nations and relevant regional organizations, and jointly respond to urgent and emerging global challenges such as peace and security, sustainable development, artificial intelligence governance, and the negative impacts of climate change. Focus on action orientation, form pragmatic results in global governance, and respond to the expectations of people of all countries.
——Improving global governance. Promote the United Nations to better adapt to changes in the international situation. By reforming the global governance structure, including international financial institutions, we will enhance the voice and representation of countries in the Global South, create an international environment and global partnerships conducive to development, reflect more the legitimate demands of developing countries, support the United Nations in improving quality and efficiency through reform, and better fulfill the mandates granted by member states. Call on the international community to address the challenges, constraints and needs faced by developing countries, especially countries in special situations, African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing countries, including the impact of unilateral coercive measures that are inconsistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and international law.
Members of the group agreed that they should value friendship and justice, establish themselves and others, closely link their own future and destiny with the future and destiny of the people of other countries, strengthen unity and cooperation, and expand partnerships. We must be upright and innovative, open and inclusive, strengthen dialogue and coordination on issues related to global governance, and constantly improve the construction of group mechanisms.
The panel members thanked China for its efforts in hosting this meeting and looked forward to strengthening unity and cooperation, promoting the construction of a more fair and reasonable global governance system, and creating a bright future of peace, security, prosperity, and progress.
