China’s President Xi Jinping wants to see a ‘new global governance’. He reveals this during this year’s SCO summit in Tianjin.
– We should advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world, he says.

The annual summit for the member countries or partners of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was held on Sunday and Monday. The meeting, the twenty-fifth in order, took place in Tianjin, about ten miles from the capital Beijing.

This year’s SCO summit is the largest ever, with over twenty participating countries. The most influential participant countries are likely Russia, China, and India, but also NATO country Turkey is present.

SCO has emerged from the so-called Shanghai Group, which was formed in the mid-90s by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. The five neighboring countries agreed to increase trust and disarmament at their respective borders.

Since then, SCO has grown in both the number of member states and so-called partners and observers. India has been a full member of the organization since 2017.

‘A multipolar world’

During this year’s summit, China’s President Xi Jinping praises the SCO cooperation in a speech to the attending world leaders. He says that SCO constitutes a counterbalance to ‘hegemony and power games’ and that it is a ‘force for peace and development’.

– We must promote a correct historical perspective on the Second World War and oppose the mentality of the Cold War, block confrontation, and bullying methods. We should uphold the UN-centered international system and support the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, he says.

– We should advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and make the global governance system more fair and reasonable.

The Chinese president does not mention the climate at all. Instead, he talks more about economic growth and grand infrastructure projects.

‘New global governance’

And in another speech on Monday afternoon, China’s President Xi Jinping takes the opportunity to mention several times that it has now been 80 years since the victory in ‘the anti-fascist world war’. And with that as a starting point, he directs subtle criticism towards the USA and the Western world.

– Eighty years later, even though the historical trend of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit remains unchanged, the mentality of the Cold War, hegemonism, and protectionism continue to haunt the world, he says and continues:

– New threats and challenges have increased. The world is in a new period of turbulence and transformation. Global governance stands at a crossroads.

The Chinese president believes it is time for a ‘new’ and ‘reformed global governance’. A governance that China is prepared to lead.

– We are ready, together with all parties, to bravely uphold good principles and the common good of the world, promote a correct historical perspective on the Second World War, resolutely safeguard the fruits of our victory in the war, and let all of humanity benefit from a reform of global governance, and build a society with a common future for humanity, concludes China’s President Xi Jinping.