Xiongan forum: From shared vision to collective cooperation

Editor's note: Yuan Sha, a special commentator for CGTN, is the deputy director of the Department for Global Governance and International Organizations Studies at the China Institute of International Studies. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

In his congratulatory message to the 2026 Global Governance Forum (Xiongan) held in the Xiongan New Area, northern Hebei Province, Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping underlined why he had proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) in September 2025: for a "more just and equitable global governance system and a better world."

The GGI, which emphasizes five principles – sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, a people-centered approach and action-oriented cooperation – has been widely acclaimed at a time when the world faces mounting challenges amid setbacks to multilateralism. How to better implement the initiative therefore has become a priority.

Held against this backdrop, the three-day Xiongan forum, themed "Rebuilding Confidence and Cooperation: Reforming and Improving Global Governance in a Transforming World," is an opportunity to translate shared vision into concrete action and practical cooperation.

Shared challenges demand collective actions

Xi said China is ready to work with all to implement the GGI, give the fluctuating world more certainty and positive energy, and jointly build a community of a shared future for humanity. Foreign Minister Wang Yi put forward practical measures to implement the GGI and build a more just and equitable global governance system.

China's commitment is especially valuable to a world suffering from challenges such as climate change, which has been exacerbating natural disasters worldwide, infectious diseases spreading across borders, and armed conflicts starting in one region and quickly leading to worldwide disruptions in energy, food and supply chains.

Geopolitical rivalries, trade protectionism, technological barriers and competing regulatory systems have complicated international cooperation. Unilateral actions and exclusive blocs have fragmented global governance, making collective responses more costly and less effective.

Therefore, how to make a collective response to shared challenges remains the primary challenge. That is the most difficult task of the GGI and an imperative.

How to make best use of the forum

My institution, the China Institute of International Studies, is one of the co-organizers of the forum, and I am honored to be involved in organizing the panels dedicated to new frontiers such as artificial intelligence, cyberspace and outer space. 

As emerging technologies expand the field of human activities, they also bring unforeseen disruptions, including a widening development divide, rising security risks, increasing weaponization and arms races. These global challenges urgently demand a collective response.

The key concern is how to resurrect global governance in areas where geopolitical rivalries and a trust deficit are preventing genuine cooperation and true multilateralism, and how to translate the GGI into concrete actions, ensuring the participation of all countries, enabling all to share its benefits, and advancing a community with a shared future for humanity.

Our team did in-depth research, made field trips home and abroad, and produced academic papers and policy recommendations which reflect China’s experience, contribution and commitment in the areas. But implementation of the GGI also needs a better understanding of the views, ideas and concerns of other countries and peoples, and the collective action of all stakeholders.

In Xiongan, we have the opportunity to meet experts from international organizations as well as academic, tech and business communities who represent the Global South, the West and the wider international community.

Turning commitment into sustained cooperation

The importance of the forum lies not merely in having dialogues, but in bringing together diverse stakeholders, and encouraging them to share ideas, bridge differences and foster common understandings. When panelists from different backgrounds exchange ideas, they find more things in common, most notably, on utilizing new technologies peacefully and ensuring a better world. With that, a foundation can be provided for practical engagement and trust building.

Equally importantly, the forum could encourage participants to identify specific cooperation priorities, develop project partnerships and establish mechanisms for reviewing progress. Practical outcomes might include joint research networks, capacity building programs, pilot projects and stronger coordination among existing international institutions.

The forum could also build a global governance experts' network and help connect them with projects that can better deliver. For example, international organizations can provide institutional support, businesses can contribute investment and technological knowhow, and academic institutions and thinktanks can offer scientific research and policy evaluation.

Ultimately, the success of the GGI depends on its implementation, and the Global Governance Forum (Xiongan) offers an occasion to demonstrate that dialogue across differences remains both possible and necessary, and will deliver more concrete results along the way.

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