China against the 'law of the jungle': Wang Yi calls for UN reform and stronger Global South voice
White Paper on global governance, Global Governance Initiative (GGI), UN reform and expanding representation of developing countries — China is ready to uphold the UN's authority. Wang Yi: "Multilateralism is failing not because the UN has lost relevance, but because its authority is not respected."
As reported by CCTV+, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Beijing on Wednesday that China is ready to contribute to upholding the authority of the United Nations by promoting the implementation of its Global Governance Initiative (GGI). Speaking at the launch of the White Paper "More Just and Equitable Global Governance: China's Principles, Proposals and Actions," Wang responded to a question about how China supports the UN amid the resurgence of the "law of the jungle."
"More than 80 years ago, the international community learned the lessons of two world wars and decided to embrace multilateralism by founding the UN. Today, multilateralism is failing not because the UN has lost its relevance, but because its authority and role are not being respected and fully utilised. The law of the jungle has resurfaced not because the UN Charter is outdated, but precisely because the Charter is not being properly observed and upheld," Wang said.
He noted that in the face of growing global challenges, the priority is to fulfil the commitments of the UN Charter. China is ready to work with other countries to revitalise and strengthen the UN. "We must uphold sovereign equality, respect international rule of law, and oppose hegemony and intimidation. We must support the UN in playing its central role, build global consensus, coordinate actions and address global challenges. At the same time, we need to accelerate UN reform, increase the representation and voice of Global South countries, and make the UN more dynamic and effective," he stated.
"As the first country to sign the UN Charter, China bears an unwavering responsibility and is ready to promote the Global Governance Initiative to uphold the UN's authority and work with all countries to revitalise and strengthen the United Nations," the minister emphasised.
The White Paper "More Just and Equitable Global Governance" is an official document outlining China's position on reforming the global governance system. The Global Governance Initiative (GGI) is one of China's key foreign policy initiatives aimed at strengthening multilateralism and enhancing the role of developing countries. The "law of the jungle" in this context is a metaphor for the return of power politics, where large states ignore international law. Wang Yi stressed that the problem is not an outdated UN, but the reluctance of some countries to abide by its Charter.
When the "law of the jungle" raises its head again and hegemony tries to replace law, the world remembers why the UN was created. China, which signed the Charter 80 years ago, offers not just words but a mechanism — the Global Governance Initiative. Reform not for reform's sake, but reform for justice. The voice of the Global South must be heard louder, because the future cannot be built on last century's templates. While some countries try to impose their rules, others remind us: the UN Charter was written not for the few, but for all.
