How a community with shared future is possible: Part I

Editor's note: 2026 marks the 13th anniversary of the China-proposed idea of building a community with a shared future for humanity. CGTN invited Wang Yiwei, Jean Monnet chair professor and director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China, to explore what a community with a shared future for humanity means and analyze the practical significance and urgency of the idea in the context of today's intertwined and turbulent international situations. Below is the first part where Wang explores what a community with a shared future for humanity means.

The concept of a community with a shared future for humanity is not a simple combination of the three terms "humanity," "shared future," and "community." Rather, it represents an upgraded version of each of these concepts, and when integrated, it forms a systematic synthesis and innovation.

This concept was discovered by China, not invented. First, let's talk about humanity. The concept of "humanity" as a unified idea began to take clearer shape after the Age of Discovery, as scientific advancements – particularly in fields like biology, geology and anthropology – offered new insights into human origins, biological evolution and the interconnectedness of life on Earth. However, while these advances contributed to a broader understanding of human existence, the concept of humanity remained largely anthropocentric, focusing on humans as central to the natural world and emphasizing human interests and perspectives in the development of knowledge.

The West dominated this process, and thus the concept of "humanity" became Western-centric. For example, they called their own studies "classics," the studies of ancient civilizations "Oriental studies," and everything else "anthropology" – a discourse that inherently carried a sense of discrimination. Therefore, we simply argue that humanity and nature form a community of life, existing as equals. We no longer view humanity as the master of nature, transcending the anthropocentrism that has led to environmental destruction since the Industrial Revolution, and instead embrace the concept of ecological civilization. That is why we emphasize a clean and beautiful world as one of the core pillars of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Next, let's talk about shared future. There are three representative types of civilizations in the world: monotheistic, polytheistic and atheistic. Monotheistic traditions often emphasize concepts like original sin and salvation, which some interpret as reflecting a divine plan with predetermined aspects. Additionally, many monotheistic faiths uphold the belief in a singular, exclusive deity, with adherents viewing their god as the one true god. However, in Chinese culture, "heaven" is singular, but "gods" are plural – there are many gods under heaven; it is not that gods created heaven. Space precedes time, and the calendar precedes history. Polytheistic traditions view life as cyclical, reflecting a passive worldview – a stark contrast to Mencius' idea of "understanding the ways of heaven and using them." The Chinese belief system reveres heaven and ancestors, does not subscribe to a single god, and even gods themselves are secularized.

In foreign policy, this is reflected in an emphasis on independence and self-reliance, rejecting interventionism, dependency and fatalism. The concept of a community with a shared future specifically addresses the global paradox of relying on the United States for security and on China for the economy, particularly in the context of the US alliance system. Many nations have tied their national security to the United States, lacking strategic autonomy. For instance, when the US attacked Iran, it did not inform its allies – except Israel – beforehand, yet expected them to bear the consequences of Iranian retaliation and become entangled in conflict. This irrational situation stems from dependency. Trump's understanding of alliances is that of coercive coalitions. We emphasize that the destiny of each country lies in its own hands, and the world's future is in the hands of all nations. We oppose sacrificing the security of other nations to safeguard one's own security, upholding the principle that "heaven's greatest virtue is life, and its greatest virtue is coexistence." Therefore, a shared destiny and a shared future constitute the core philosophy of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Third, the concept of community draws on and integrates ideas from the European Community and other community-based frameworks, including the collective security system of the United Nations. However, it differs from the homogeneity and exclusivity of the European Community. Peace exists within the EU, but Ukraine's desire to join both the EU and NATO has led to the current Russia-Ukraine conflict – a clear example of negative externalities. Only by elevating regional communities to encompass all of humanity can we eliminate negative externalities. Additionally, this concept does not emphasize the transfer of sovereignty. Instead, it underscores respect for national sovereignty and the principles of the UN Charter, rather than replacing one system with another or one ideology with another. It is not a linear theory of evolution.

The vision of a community with a shared future reshapes the modern understanding of time and space. It challenges the linear evolutionist notion of "pre-modern, modern, postmodern," emphasizing that we all exist within the same temporal and spatial framework. It also transforms the zero-sum mentality, the law of the jungle, and the mindset of the strong preying on the weak. It stresses that the aspirations of all peoples for a better life must be realized, advocates for genuine diversity in civilization rather than civilization as represented solely by the West, and emphasizes collective responses to global challenges such as artificial intelligence and climate change. 

Therefore, we must move beyond the traditional Westphalian system of international relations, which views the world solely through interactions between nation-states, and instead focus on the common well-being of all humanity. This vision revitalizes the idea of a world united and a shared destiny found in various traditional cultures, forming the broadest common ground. It has a solid foundation in human culture, responds to urgent practical needs, and provides a guiding vision for the future. If we fail to build this vision, the world risks descending into a third world war, conflict, and confrontation. In this sense, a community with a shared future envisions lasting peace, common security, shared prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, and a clean and beautiful world.

Shared future for humanity embodied in GDI, GSI, GCI and GGI

The internal logical relationships among these goals are reflected in four major initiatives – Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative and Global Governance Initiative, with a potential fifth initiative to follow for implementation. These four initiatives correspond to the dimensions of development, security, civilization and governance.

First, development is key – it is the master key to solving all human problems. However, many countries face security bottlenecks in their development. Common security leads to common development, sustainable security drives sustainable development, and a win-win logic ensures the coordinated resolution of security and development – two sides of the same coin. Beneath the surface of security and development lies the assumption that development or modernization equals Westernization, leading many countries to imitate their former colonial rulers, resulting in hybrid systems that fail to function properly. To enable countries to follow development and security paths suited to their national conditions, we must strengthen the foundations of security and development. This is where the Global Civilization Initiative comes in, promoting genuine exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations while upholding diversity. Translating these concepts into action requires effective global governance, as the United Nations currently suffers from insufficient representation, effectiveness, and authority.

A potential Global Ecological Initiative could be envisioned, comprising five major global initiatives – symbolically aligned with the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth from Chinese philosophy – that serve as the five pillars for building a community with a shared future for humanity.

A crucial platform for implementing these global initiatives through regional multilateral cooperation is the Belt and Road Initiative, which promotes the common modernization of the world.

Humankind is already a community with a shared future in a negative sense – as revealed by global climate change and regional conflicts: we are all villagers on planet Earth, our only home. This resonates with the Buddhist concept of collective karma and the Daoist notion of a shared heaven.

However, there is also the Confucian ideal of coexistence, which calls for conscious pursuit and active construction in a positive sense.

Crucially, it requires shaping a shared identity in which you have me and I have you, and recognizing that we live in the same time and space, rather than clinging to a linear evolutionary worldview – such as the EU's "pre-modern, modern, post-modern" progression or the US's self-perception that "I" or "we" are advanced and stand on the right side of history, while "you" or "others" are backward and stand on the wrong side.