We hope that main international locations will work collectively to foster a framework that includes peaceable coexistence, total stability and balanced growth, and make continued efforts to keep up a comparatively peaceable and steady worldwide order for all.
by Liu Zhenmin
The 12 months 2025 marks the eightieth anniversary of the tip of World War II and the founding of the United Nations. At the tip of the warfare, the United Nations was born, a up to date worldwide order took form, and the course of human historical past was without end altered.
Over the previous eight many years, the UN-centered worldwide system and the worldwide law-based world order have helped keep total peace within the post-war period whereas selling worldwide growth and progress.
Now, 80 years on, the world as soon as once more stands at a historic crossroads. At this historic juncture, it’s of nice significance to mirror on how human society entered a brand new period of cooperation, to evaluation the evolution of the up to date worldwide order over the previous 80 years, and to stay up for its future transformation. These are important for advancing world governance reform in line with the instances and for constructing a neighborhood with a shared future for humanity.
THE UN-CENTERED INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM USHERED IN A NEW ERA OF COOPERATION ACROSS HUMAN SOCIETY
Human civilization spans millennia, but previous to the Age of Exploration, main civilizations largely existed and developed in relative isolation inside their respective areas, with out forming a world system of worldwide relations. The Peace of Westphalia, signed in 1648, marked the delivery of contemporary worldwide relations. Yet within the 297 years that adopted, till the tip of World War II, the worldwide order remained primarily an extension of the European system of that period, broadly characterised by 4 options.
First, the first actors in worldwide relations have been Western colonial powers, whereas the vast majority of international locations throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America have been diminished to colonies or semi-colonies below Western domination.
Second, a world authorized system — symbolized by the Peace of Westphalia — steadily took form, establishing norms comparable to state sovereignty and the peaceable settlement of worldwide disputes. However, using pressure had not but been legally prohibited, and warfare remained a instrument of implementation of international coverage for some states.
Third, the worldwide panorama was dominated by Western powers in a “rule of the jungle” atmosphere, which in the end led to the outbreak of two world wars within the first half of the twentieth century.
Fourth, a very efficient worldwide mechanism had but to emerge. Before World War I, worldwide relations have been largely maintained by a “balance of power” amongst main states. After the warfare, the League of Nations — humanity’s first worldwide worldwide group — was established. Yet it failed to meet its supposed function, hampered by its hierarchical remedy of member states, domination by a number of European powers, the absence of the United States, and the exclusion of the Soviet Union. Ultimately, the League proved ineffective, significantly in its failure to stop fascist states comparable to Germany, Japan and Italy from launching World War II, resulting in its eventual demise.
The institution of the United Nations in 1945 marked a major milestone, opening a brand new historic stage in worldwide relations and representing a serious advance over earlier world orders.
First, the UN Charter established the rules of worldwide regulation, together with the sovereign equality of states, non-interference in inside affairs, the non-use of pressure, and the peaceable settlement of worldwide disputes. For the primary time in historical past, the menace or use of pressure in worldwide relations was legally prohibited, formally rendering aggressive warfare unlawful.
Second, the Charter affirmed the correct to self-determination for peoples below colonial rule. This supplied the authorized foundation for the following decolonization throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America, resulting in the emergence of newly unbiased states and the enlargement of the neighborhood of worldwide actors.
Third, the Charter established a world system with the United Nations at its core and created a collective safety mechanism centered on the Security Council. Such our bodies because the IMF, the World Bank, and the GATT have been additionally established to coordinate worldwide financial affairs. This paved the way in which for higher institutionalization and regularization of worldwide relations.
Fourth, the UN Charter launched the precept of unanimity among the many 5 everlasting members of the Security Council — China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States — in impact making a checks-and-balances mechanism among the many main international locations. This has performed a significant function in sustaining total stability in worldwide relations, significantly in serving to stop the outbreak of a 3rd world warfare.
THE EVOLUTION AND IMPACT OF THE FOUR PILLARS OF THE CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL ORDER
Over the previous eight many years, the worldwide order has been regularly reshaped — each in its goal atmosphere and its institutional norms — amid a dynamic means of a reworking worldwide structure, shifting energy balances, and evolving world priorities.
First, the scope of worldwide actors has expanded to incorporate virtually all nation-states, attaining world universality. When the United Nations was based, it had solely 51 member states; at the moment, it has 193. Major international locations and teams largely settle for the present configuration of sovereign states, and the full variety of unbiased sovereign states — as the first gamers in worldwide relations — is unlikely to vary considerably, marking a interval of relative stability within the construction of world actors.
The collective rise of Global South international locations stands as a defining function of the profound modifications unseen in a century on the planet. The Group of 77, fashioned throughout the United Nations and now comprising 133 members, has develop into a decisive pressure with the ability to make or break multilateralism.
Second, worldwide regulation has more and more develop into the cornerstone of the up to date worldwide order. Since the founding of the United Nations, worldwide regulation has advanced from a system primarily based totally on so-called customary guidelines to at least one grounded largely in treaties. Driven by the United Nations and different worldwide establishments, the worldwide neighborhood has concluded over 600 worldwide treaties, ushering in an period ruled by worldwide regulation.
Today, except a number of areas, comparable to alternate charges, worldwide cost programs and web governance, which nonetheless function below so-called “common practices” dominated by a handful of main international locations, worldwide treaties regulate practically each sphere of human exercise and carefully mirror the wants and evolution of worldwide relations. Without these greater than 600 treaties, it will be troublesome to maintain the general stability of the up to date worldwide order and worldwide relations.
Third, the UN-centered worldwide system has undergone complete growth. This system encompasses not solely the six principal organs of the United Nations established below the UN Charter, such because the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Economic and Social Council, but in addition 15 specialised companies, together with the World Bank Group and the World Health Organization. In addition, the United Nations has established partnership relations with three organizations: the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Organization for Migration, and the World Trade Organization. It has additionally established 12 packages, funds, and different entities, together with UNICEF, UNDP and UNEP. Virtually each side of human productive endeavors and day by day life is supported or regulated by worldwide establishments, a growth of nice significance for humanity and the world.
Fourth, shifts within the worldwide panorama have develop into essentially the most important issue affecting the soundness of the worldwide order. Nevertheless, the 5 everlasting members acknowledged by the UN Charter stay pivotal forces shaping up to date worldwide relations.
Over the previous 80 years, the worldwide panorama has undergone a number of transformations, pushed by modifications in relations amongst main international locations. In the primary 45 years following the United Nations’ institution, the world was profoundly formed by the Cold War, throughout which the 2 main blocs — the U.S.-led NATO and the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact — have been locked in confrontation. The worldwide order throughout this era was additionally influenced by two constructive developments: the rise of a 3rd worldwide pressure, represented by the Group of 77 and the Non-Aligned Movement, and the restoration of the lawful seat of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) within the United Nations in 1971, which ended 22 years of unjust exclusion of the PRC from the UN system and introduced the U.S.-Soviet Union-China triangular relationship into the UN framework.
Following the tip of the Cold War, the United States turned the world’s sole superpower, resulting in a world construction typically described as “one superpower with multiple major powers.” At the identical time, with the EU’s deepening integration, Russia’s revitalization, China’s fast growth and the rise of different creating international locations, the development of multipolarity has been strengthened regardless of twists and turns.
The 2008 worldwide monetary disaster uncovered the restrictions of the United States in addressing extreme world crises alone or by solely counting on developed international locations. In response, the United States initiated the G20 Leader’s Summit in 2008, which introduced collectively main international locations from all areas of the world, an essential milestone within the ongoing growth of a multipolar world.
Looking again over the previous 80 years, the standing of the 5 everlasting members within the worldwide panorama has not undergone basic modifications in comparison with the time of the United Nations’ founding. The China-U.S.-Russia triangular relationship has seen its affect rise steadily. Although the ability of the UK and France has declined, the European Union has steadily emerged as an essential actor in worldwide relations. The affect of the BRICS international locations is rising, changing into a pressure that may rival the G7. The collective affect of the Global South continues to rise. Although it’s changing into more and more troublesome for main international locations to succeed in consensus, a “balance of power” amongst them nonetheless persists.
THE CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL ORDER FACES GRAVE CHALLENGES, YET IT MUST BE REFORMED, NOT REPLACED
In current years, the up to date worldwide order has confronted grave challenges. Beginning in 2017, in the course of the first time period of U.S. President Donald Trump, the United States has pursued an “America First” coverage, withdrawing from 17 worldwide organizations and treaties. The subsequent Joe Biden’s administration rejoined a few of these multilateral mechanisms, however the shadow of U.S. isolationism continued to loom. In January this 12 months, with the return of President Trump to the White House, the United States has adopted much more radical insurance policies, asserting its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and worldwide establishments such because the World Health Organization, and even expressing intentions to accumulate Greenland, seize management of the Panama Canal, and annex Canada.
Furthermore, the U.S. authorities declared that it will impose the so-called “reciprocal tariffs” on all international locations and areas beginning April 2 this 12 months. This tariff warfare instantly contravenes the rules of free commerce and the most-favored-nation remedy, which the United States as soon as endorsed and championed, posing a extreme menace to the world commerce order. Faced with these unprecedented challenges, humanity should draw upon historic knowledge and calmly consider the up to date worldwide order, assessing its features and losses in addition to its real looking worth from three dimensions.
First, the up to date worldwide order was established 80 years in the past by the key victorious international locations of World War II. Through its evolution, it has achieved historic, inclusive growth and attained the broadest universality. It is basically completely different from the pre-WWII “European order.” It doesn’t belong to any self-proclaimed “founding states,” neither is it an appendage of any single energy or bloc. Rather, it belongs to all member states of the United Nations. The central difficulty dealing with the present worldwide order just isn’t one in every of alternative, however inside reform. The steady enchancment and transformation of this order require in depth session, joint contribution and collaborative governance by all international locations, at the same time as main international locations nonetheless have to play a major function.
Second, the up to date worldwide order has not but absolutely achieved the needs enshrined within the UN Charter, together with the upkeep of post-war worldwide peace and safety. Nevertheless, the relative stability it supplies has helped humanity keep away from a 3rd world warfare and enabled notable financial and social progress. Over the previous 80 years, the world inhabitants has greater than tripled, reaching round 8 billion, whereas the worldwide excessive poverty fee has fallen from 60 % on the United Nations’ founding to 9 % at the moment. The worth of the up to date worldwide order needs to be judged in gentle of such human progress.
Third, the up to date worldwide order just isn’t solely formed by modifications in worldwide actors and the worldwide panorama but in addition sustained by a scientific physique of guidelines of worldwide regulation and a complete community of worldwide establishments. Among the 4 pillars supporting this order, three stay comparatively steady. The so-called “grave challenges” primarily stem from difficulties arising from shifts within the worldwide panorama brought on by modified major-country relations. The crux of the problem lies in the truth that the United States, the European Union, and different main Western powers or blocs are usually not but psychologically ready to interact as equals with China, Russia, different BRICS international locations, and the broader Global South in collectively shaping world governance. NATO’s unprincipled and unrestricted “eastward expansion” has considerably contributed to geopolitical conflicts in Europe. As it’s more and more troublesome for main international locations to succeed in consensus, the effectivity of the UN-centered worldwide system has been impeded and its authority eroded. However, that is about reforming and enhancing worldwide mechanisms, not about preserving or dismantling the worldwide order.
In the face of challenges to the up to date worldwide order, we must always acknowledge three main tendencies in world growth. First, multipolarity is flourishing. The steady progress of humanity is each pure and unstoppable. The world can’t persist in a stage of single energy dominance, nor can it revert to the “one superpower with multiple major powers” configuration favored by the United States. Instead, a quartet of China, the United States, Russia, and Europe will develop into key forces shaping the longer term evolution of the worldwide order. Second, financial globalization is not going to be reversed regardless of the setbacks it has encountered. The world market, the very basis of financial globalization, has taken form and is right here to remain. The U.S. tariff warfare is simply a brief phenomenon. The precept of free commerce is not going to get replaced, and the worldwide buying and selling system is not going to unravel. Third, globally, help for multilateralism stays the prevailing development. While the United States pursues an “America First” coverage and downplays the function of the United Nations, it can’t go it alone and completely keep away from multilateral cooperation.
With the up to date worldwide order confronting grave challenges, international locations, particularly main international locations, ought to connect nice significance to the important function of this order in addressing three essential world points.
First, prevention of nuclear warfare. The 5 nuclear-weapon states ought to proceed to uphold the Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Five Nuclear-Weapon States on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races issued on January 3, 2022, shoulder their accountability of “the avoidance of war between Nuclear-Weapon States and the reduction of strategic risks” and work collectively to uphold the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons regime.
Second, response to world local weather change. All international locations, significantly the G20 members who’re the primary sources of world greenhouse gasoline emissions, ought to improve their respective local weather actions in accordance with the precept of “common but differentiated responsibilities” established below the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, in order that the world can obtain carbon neutrality by the center of this century.
Third, world governance of synthetic intelligence. All international locations ought to prioritize delivering on the commitments outlined within the United Nations Pact for the Future and its annex the Global Digital Compact, create an inclusive, open, sustainable, honest, secure and safe digital future for all, and promote the institution of an inclusive and honest multilateral world digital governance system.
Both historic expertise and projections for the longer term point out that with out an efficient worldwide order to handle these three main challenges, humanity will both danger self-destruction or descend into an period ruled by the rule of the jungle.
Based on the above evaluation, the next conclusions could be drawn: First, the up to date worldwide order is dealing with extreme challenges and requires restore and enchancment. Second, reshaping this order will depend on consensus amongst main international locations. Until related main international locations return to multilateralism, all events ought to make joint efforts to safeguard the present system and revitalize it by enhancing major-country coordination. Third, an incremental strategy could also be adopted, beginning with reform of the worldwide governance system, in order to collectively construct a brighter future for the worldwide order.
SHAPING THE REFORM AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE GLOBAL GOVERNANCE SYSTEM WITH GREATER CONFIDENCE, AND JOINTLY BUILDING A COMMUNITY WITH A SHARED FUTURE FOR HUMANITY
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus Meeting held on September 1 this 12 months, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative, which demonstrates China’s function as an indispensable and key pressure in world governance. It charts the course for nations to precisely understand and proactively reply to the profound modifications unseen in a century.
In the years to come back, the world will inevitably proceed to face transformations within the worldwide panorama, significantly the changes and modifications in major-country relations. Yet, we must always keep optimistic on this course of. We hope that main international locations will work collectively to foster a framework that includes peaceable coexistence, total stability and balanced growth, and make continued efforts to keep up a comparatively peaceable and steady worldwide order for all.
Rather than passively ready, international locations should seize the chance of the eightieth anniversary of the United Nations to actively promote the reform of the worldwide governance system. In September 2024, the United Nations convened its first “Summit of the Future” and adopted the Pact for the Future, which advisable 19 actions on reforming the worldwide governance system. On the event of the eightieth anniversary of the United Nations, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched the UN80 Initiative, formally commencing reform processes throughout three key workstreams. We hope that this reform course of will place excessive precedence on safeguarding the United Nations’ core missions, enhancing its authority and effectiveness, and addressing the problem of illustration, in order to make sure that the UN system can present higher service and help to all nations and humanity as an entire.
At the identical time, all international locations should unequivocally uphold the needs and rules of the UN Charter, safeguard the foundations of the up to date worldwide order, resolutely break geopolitical circles, and advocate a universally useful and inclusive financial globalization and an equal and orderly multipolar world.
As a serious creating nation, China ought to, whereas pursuing its personal growth, put higher emphasis on deeply participating within the making of worldwide guidelines, strengthen its management in world governance, and proceed to pursue its nationwide pursuits within the context of world pursuits. China ought to be part of palms with different Global South international locations to defend frequent pursuits and keep dedicated to working for a extra simply and equitable worldwide order.
Editor’s be aware: Liu Zhenmin is former under-secretary-general of the United Nations.
The views expressed on this article are these of the writer and don’t essentially mirror the positions of Xinhua News Agency.