China’s State Council Information Office on Wednesday, 17 June released a white paper titled “More Just and Equitable Global Governance: China's Principles, Proposals and Actions.” This interview Dr. ZHOU Jinyan, Associate Professor of Shanghai International Studie University looks at what this implies for African countries

ZimNow: Could you briefly explain the context in which China’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI) was proposed?

Professor Zhou Jinyan: The Global Governance Initiative (GGI) was proposed at a time of profound transformation in the international system. Over the past decades, global governance has been shaped by the United Nations, which was founded over 80 years ago to promote dialogue, consultation, and rule-based international cooperation. It marked an important shift toward a more institutionalized and law-based international order.

After the Cold War, trends such as economic globalization and multipolarization strengthened expectations for cooperation and coordination among states. However, in recent years, these trends have been increasingly challenged. We have witnessed a growing spread of unilateralism, protectionism, and hegemonic competition, alongside widening deficits in peace, development, security, and trust across regions.

It is against this backdrop that China proposed the Global Governance Initiative in 2025, at a symbolic moment marking both the 80th anniversary of the end of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. The initiative reflects China’s view that global governance needs to be reformed and strengthened rather than replaced, with the United Nations remaining at its core.

From China’s perspective, the GGI responds to two fundamental questions: what kind of global governance system the world should build, and how such a system can be improved in a more effective and inclusive way. It emphasizes multilateralism, consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, with the aim of fostering a more just, equitable, and inclusive international order. 

In this sense, the GGI is not a departure from the existing international system, but rather an effort to reinforce it at a time when global governance faces significant stress and fragmentation.

ZimNow: What do you see as the most significant implications of China’s global governance initiative for Africa?

Professor Zhou Jinyan: The Global Governance Initiative (GGI) carries several significant implications for Africa. First, the initiative contributes to the building of a more just and equitable international order, which has direct implications for Africa’s position in global governance. The GGI  reinforces South–South cooperation mechanisms, including China–Africa cooperation and broader Global South platforms such as BRICS and the G77. This could create more opportunities for Africa to participate not only as a recipient of global norms, but as a co-shaper of rules, priorities, and development agendas. For example, China took the lead in supporting the African Union’s membership in the G20 to increase the representation of developing countries. By addressing historical injustices and supporting greater African representation, the GGI aligns with Africa’s long-standing aspiration to move from the margins to a more central role in global decision-making.

Second, the GGI is closely linked to Global Security Initiative (GSI) with efforts to strengthen global peace and security governance. Through initiatives such as the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa and broader engagement with Global South platforms, China promotes dialogue, coordination, and collective responses to regional security challenges. For Africa, China’s emphasis on multilateral solutions and non-confrontational approaches can help reduce peace deficit and address security problems.

Third, the GGI speaks directly to the global development deficit. By promoting South–South cooperation, supporting modernization partnerships, and advancing concrete mechanisms under the framework of the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China seeks to enhance infrastructure development, industrial capacity, and economic transformation in African countries.

Overall, the most significant implication is that Africa is increasingly recognized not as a peripheral actor, but as a central stakeholder with greater space to articulate its interests and shape global governance reform.

ZimNow: Could the GGI help address Africa’s long-standing development challenges such as infrastructure gaps and industrialization?

Professor Zhou Jinyan: The GGI, together with Global Development Initiative aim to contribute to addressing Africa’s long-standing development challenges, particularly in areas such as infrastructure gaps and industrialization.

In recent years, China and Africa have significantly upgraded their overall relationship. At the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, bilateral relations between China and all African countries with which it has diplomatic ties were officially elevated to the level of strategic relations, and the overall positioning of China-Africa relations was elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community of shared future for the new era. China has also pledged to work with African countries to promote the “Six Modernizations”, a vision of development that is fair and just, open and mutually beneficial, people-oriented, diverse and inclusive, environmentally friendly, and peaceful and secure. 

Importantly, China has also launched ten partnership actions with Africa, covering areas such as industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development assistance, green development, health, agriculture, and people-to-people exchanges. These initiatives directly target structural constraints that many African countries continue to face, particularly infrastructure deficits, limited industrial capacity, and gaps in regional connectivity.

From this perspective, the GGI can be seen as providing a broader governance and normative framework that reinforces these ongoing cooperation efforts. Its emphasis on multilateralism, shared development, and inclusive global governance aligns with China’s existing commitments to Africa, including zero-tariff treatment for least developed countries and African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China.

Therefore, GGI can help create a more supportive international environment for African development by strengthening global coordination, improving governance representation, and reinforcing South–South cooperation. In combination with concrete mechanisms such as the FOCAC partnership actions, it can contribute to Africa’s industrialization and infrastructure development agenda.

Overall, the most significant implication of the GGI for Africa is that it simultaneously strengthens African voice in global governance, contributes to global peace efforts, and supports the closing of the development gap. All three dimensions are central to Africa’s long-term aspirations.

Zhou Jinyan (Ph.D) is an Associate Professor at Shanghai Academy of Global Governance & Area Studies (SAGGAS), Shanghai International Studies University (SISU)