RIP hide and bide
Beijing just dropped a manifesto outlining its vision for global governance.
The document, entitled "Proposal of the People's Republic of China on the Reform and Development of Global Governance," was published in English and Chinese on Wednesday by the foreign ministry.
Don’t sleep on this: The proposal is the clearest articulation we've seen of what Xi Jinping’s global governance philosophy looks like in practice.
The first three sections expound on Xi’s Global Security, Development, and Civilization Initiatives, by:
- Articulating China’s position on specific security issues, from the war in Ukraine to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, to nuclear security and counterterrorism
- Calling for synergy between Chinese, foreign, and UN-led development initiatives, more balance and equity in global development, support for globalization, and efforts to fight climate change and food insecurity
- Rejecting so-called "universal values" and a one-size-fits-all definition of human rights in favor of respect for sovereignty and national circumstances
The document also looks forward, calling for multilateral management of emerging technologies:
- It pushes cooperation in cyberspace, rejects a politicized “small yard, high fence” approach to tech, and calls to harness AI for common development.
Finally, it proposes reforms to global governance, including:
- Better prioritizing developing world interests
- Reforming the UN Security Council
- Improving macroeconomic coordination
Get smart: Beijing is no longer bashful about pushing for its preferred global governance outcomes – or rallying other countries to the cause.
- That will increasingly put China at odds with the Western countries that built (and benefit from) from the current world order.