Understanding Xi's vision of China and the world through New Year message

EMBRACING THE WORLD

As global turbulence escalated in the past year, one historic moment captured the world's attention. On Sept 1, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the Chinese port city of Tianjin, Xi proposed the Global Governance Initiative.

"After announcing the three global initiatives on development, security, and civilization, I put forward the Global Governance Initiative to promote a more just and equitable global governance system," Xi noted in his New Year message which was broadcast in multiple languages to a global audience.

The year 2025 also marked the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. In the lead-up to the SCO summit, Xi met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and reaffirmed China's commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

The world is undergoing profound transformations. Multipolarity is gaining momentum, economic globalization faces mounting headwinds, and calls are growing for greater democracy in international relations. At the same time, Cold War thinking, hegemonism and protectionism continue to cast a long shadow.

"The Global Governance Initiative marks an unprecedented step toward building an alternative, multipolar, and more equitable world order," US economist Jeffrey Sachs commented.

In his Wednesday's New Year address, Xi said that China has "continued to embrace the world with open arms."