Editor's note: Zhou Li, a special commentator for CGTN, is an associate professor at the Institute for Human Rights Studies, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, China. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of CGTN.

Never before have we felt so acutely the transformative power of human civilization. Disruptive technologies such as digital technology and artificial intelligence are developing at an astonishing pace, while the process of multi-polarization of the global landscape and democratization of international relations continues to advance. Meanwhile, many human problems have long transcended national boundaries. Enterprises, especially large multinational corporations, are playing an unprecedentedly influential role as international actors. The organizational form of human community is undergoing transformation, while the traditional mindset centered solely on the nation-state is also in need of change.

Accompanying the prosperity and development, ecological crises, technological risks, social contradictions and other issues are gradually emerging. These problems are seeping into the field of human rights, affecting the right to subsistence, the right to development and various basic human rights of mankind..

The governance models and order frameworks that once promoted the progress of human civilization are facing unprecedented challenges. There is an urgent need for a new governance paradigm of global human rights.

The Chinese paradigm of global human rights governance

When the concept of "paradigm" was first proposed, its original meaning referred to "the theoretical basis, methodology, values and cognitive frameworks shared by the scientific community."

Now the notion of "paradigm" has since been extended to various disciplines and fields, including science. It refers to the fundamental beliefs and value judgments that govern how individuals perceive the world and acquire knowledge, the accepted methods (including techniques and tools) for problem-solving, and the criteria for evaluating the quality and validity of research outcomes – all collectively embraced by a given community. Centered on "the lens through which issues are viewed" and "what constitutes a legitimate solution," a paradigm defines the appropriate direction for resolution, essentially serving as a widely accepted "cognitive benchmark" or "underlying cognitive framework."

China has put forward the concept of "building a community with a shared future for humanity," and promoted the common values of all humanity, namely "peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom," linking the future and destiny of all countries through common interests, common challenges, and common responsibilities. 

China has successively proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, and issued the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative. It has also continuously deepened South-South cooperation and safeguarded the international system with the United Nations at its core, the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and the international order based on international law. 

These stances, concepts, value consensuses, basic principles, initiatives, public projects, multilateral mechanisms, and specific actions proposed by China constitute a systematic plan for its participation in global governance, and its integrity is constantly improving. This is not simply about providing a model, but rather bringing about a profound paradigm shift in international relations, international institutions, and the international order.

The core of a paradigm lies in the concise abstraction and adaptive alignment with the nature of things. A global governance paradigm must consistently conform to the inherent logic of global political and economic development, the evolutionary trend of international relations and the global power structure, as well as the operating mechanism of the international order.

When the established models under the existing paradigm can no longer address emerging issues, and new models, through continuous application and accumulation, to form a new logical system, a "paradigm shift" will be triggered – that is, the replacement of the old framework with a new one.

In the global governance paradigm put forward by China, its inherent value principles, such as putting the interests of the people first, ensuring equality of national sovereignty, abiding by international rule of law, and adhering to multilateralism, are different from those adhered to by the West, which prioritize capital interests, maintain a "core-periphery" status, follow rules dominated by the West, and abuse unilateralism. The underlying logic upheld by China's paradigm is more inclusive, democratically representative, and fair and just.

Implementation of the paradigm for global governance on human rights in the National Human Rights Action Plan (2026-2030)

On June 11, China issued the National Human Rights Action Plan (2026-2030), which is its fifth consecutive human rights plan. In the form of a national policy document, it fully responds to global trend changes and confirms and promotes the governance paradigm through policies. Compared with the previous action plans, the current action plan newly includes Guiding the Healthy Development of Emerging Human Rights, and has raised that adherence to a development-oriented approach.

By utilizing the principles of benefiting the people and promoting virtues, fairness and justice, inclusiveness, and benefits for all, China will fully leverage digital and intelligent technologies and data as a factor of production to enrich people's lives and improve their wellbeing, thereby promoting the free and well-rounded development of individuals and enabling them to create a better life for themselves. The country will also strengthen guidance on corporate social responsibility, follow the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and improve enterprises' awareness and capacity for human rights due diligence.

Meanwhile, the action plan has also adjusted the target positioning for participating in global governance on human rights, proposing to "promote global human rights governance." China will thereby champion humanity's shared values, practice true multilateralism, and advocate protecting human rights through security, promoting human rights through development, and advancing human rights through cooperation. The aim is to advance global human rights governance in a more just, fair, reasonable, and inclusive direction. It will take an active part in UN human rights affairs, conduct dialogue and exchanges on human rights with all parties on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and strengthen solidarity and cooperation with all countries, contributing to the overall progress of global human rights.

These new contents and new positioning in the National Human Rights Action Plan fully reflect the Chinese government's response to the transformative forces of human civilization, as well as its well-planned design in line with the internal logic, evolutionary trends, and operating mechanisms of the global political economy, international relations development, and the global power structure.

Standing at a new historical starting point, for the common cause of promoting and protecting human rights for all human beings, the international community's solidarity and cooperation is more needed than ever before. All countries in the world should firmly oppose zero-sum games and bloc confrontation, and work together to improve global human rights governance and jointly create a brighter future for the global human rights cause.

As the world's largest developing country and a founding member of the United Nations, and with Chinese civilization being a major civilization that has continued uninterrupted and developed in the form of a nation to this day, China has always, with a responsible attitude and a just value stance, promoted the transformation of the paradigm for global governance on human rights.

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