Editor's note: Hamzah Rifaat Hussain, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a host for ThinkTech Hawaii. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN. 

In his address at the first phase of the 18th G20 Summit 2023 in New Delhi, Chinese Premier Li Qiang called on the G20 group of countries to continue adhering to global solidarity and cooperation for a just and equitable world order. He also advocated strengthening coordination on macroeconomic policies for sustainable and meaningful global economic growth. This message, delivered at the summit is both conducive for global stability and underlines the need to shelve divergences despite the polarizing nature of the international environment which is characterized by the Ukraine conflict and U.S. attempts to contain China. The truth is that the way forward for the G20 is through strategic convergence in the absence of politicization.

In contrast to Western hype on China's role in international affairs, Premier Li stated that "We are willing to join hands with all parties to make greater efforts and contributions for our common earth, common home and for the common future of humanity."Additionally, China's constructive role in the G20 was both endorsed and praised by G20 'Sherpa' Amitabh Kant who on News9, an Indian media channel, stated that China is a genuine multilateral player in the organization. At the domestic level, deepening reforms and opening-up to promote high-quality development also acts in the interests of states in the international community.

No more is this evident than Premier Li's endorsement of the forum's inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20. This exemplifies Beijing's value of consensus building among major powerful economies which can be achieved if divisons are replaced with unanimity and joint declarations that remain devoid of biases and vindictiveness.

Premier Li's speech also shed light on the importance of global governance reigning supreme rather than unilateral decision making. This remains critical for the global economy as it faces daunting challenges in 2023 including supply side shocks from the Ukraine conflict, rising inflation, decline of agricultural sectors in developing countries due to climate change and rising food and energy insecurities. According to the World Bank's report of March 2023, global GDP growth is projected to shrink by 2.2 percent between the current year and 2030, which is a decline of one third from the 3.5 percent average rate between 2000 and 2010. With no end in sight for the polarized world order, economic stagnation remains an unfolding reality that the G20 and the international community cannot ignore.

To overcome such challenges however, G20 member states need to decide on whether the intergovernmental forum should be for crass geopolitics or for member states to come together to devise solutions for the greater good of humanity. As the leading 20 economies of the world, the G20 forum has the added responsibility of providing relief to impoverished countries which continue to suffer from pressing economic challenges. It needs to be understood that the United States' constant push to wrest control over the multilateral mechanism acts as a roadblock for the forum to realize its true potential.

No more is this evident than President Biden's announcement of new rail and shipping corridors aimed at connecting India, the Middle East and Europe as a countermeasure to the BRI. This announcement came despite the fact that critical member states of the G20 including Brazil, Argentina and Indonesia have all chosen to partake in China's vision for East-West connectivity through the BRI for a more prosperous, interconnected and globalized world. Yet instead of calling for greater economic solidarity, Biden is continuing  his controversial anti-China campaign atmultilateral forums, which dates back to 2022; Back then he called for a $600 billion global infrastructural program called the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment , which was unveiled on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Germany.

However, it is important to note that U.S. sponsored initiatives undermine the multipolarity and multilateralism which are supposed to be the bedrock of the G20 forum. In contrast to the American approach to polarize and divide, Premier Li advocated replacing political wrangling at the forum and guarding against the risks of the once constructive multilateral mechanism becoming hijacked by a few countries. The encouraging sign for the G20 is diversification including increasing contributions from states in Africa as well as India and China, which allows diverse perspectives on developmental challenges to take hold.  

According to Professor Li Haidong at the China Foreign Affairs University, the G20 plays a crucial role in preventing fundamental divisions in addressing global economic, security and climatic issues and the primary task of the G20 is to overcome this division through interconnected principles of global economic integration.

Premier Li's speech at the summit provides an ideal roadmap for multilateralism at the G20 to thrive.

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