By Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lao PDR

It is against this backdrop that China’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI) has emerged. Proposed by President Xi Jinping in September 2025, the GGI represents a further development in China’s broader approach to international cooperation, following the earlier Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI) and Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). While these initiatives focus respectively on development, security, and exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, the GGI addresses the broader question of how international cooperation and multilateral institutions can adapt to contemporary challenges and how developing countries can engage more actively in that process.

After its first year, the significance of the GGI increasingly depends not only on the principles it articulates, but also on how those principles are translated into cooperation, institutions and practical outcomes.

From Principles to Practice

The GGI is built around five core principles: sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism,the people-centered approach, and taking real actions. Together, these principles provide a framework for addressing representation, inclusion, fairness and effectiveness in global governance.

Sovereign equality emphasizes the equal rights of countries, regardless of their size or level of development, to engage in international affairs. International rule of law places the UN Charter and international law at the centre of international relations. Multilateralism stresses consultation, cooperation and the role of the United Nations. The people-centered approach connects international cooperation with development and people’s livelihoods, while taking real actions emphasizes implementation and tangible outcomes. China presents these principles as a response to what it describes as a growing “governance deficit” in an international environment marked by unilateralism, polarization and increasingly complex global challenges.

Many of these principles, including sovereign equality, international law and multilateralism, are already embedded in the purposes and principles of the United Nations. The more consequential question is therefore how the GGI can contribute to improving the implementation, representation and effectiveness of existing multilateral arrangements. This does not necessarily require replacing established institutions. Its potential contribution may instead lie in strengthening existing mechanisms while developing additional forms of cooperation where emerging challenges require them.

One year on, the GGI has attracted considerable international engagement. According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, nearly 160 countries and international organizations have expressed support or positive responses to the initiative, while more than 60 countries have joined the Group of Friends of Global Governance. Groups have been established in New York, Geneva and Vienna, creating additional platforms for discussion within established multilateral settings.

These figures indicate substantial international interest, although participation does not necessarily imply identical interpretations of the initiative. Countries engage with the GGI from different political, economic and developmental perspectives. This diversity makes continued consultation important, particularly if the initiative is to provide space for countries with different interests and priorities to identify areas of common ground.

China has also promoted discussion of global governance through platforms such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), with an emphasis on strengthening the voice and role of Global South countries. At the same time, the relationship between the GGI and established multilateral institutions, particularly the United Nations, will remain an important consideration as the initiative develops. China has emphasized that the GGI upholds the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and seeks to strengthen the role of the United Nations.

The first year has also seen efforts to translate the GGI’s principles into practical mechanisms. China has highlighted cooperation in areas including international mediation, data and information, and artificial intelligence, alongside the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation(IOMed), the World Data Organization and the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO). These developments illustrate an effort to move from broad principles towards institutional and practical cooperation. Their longer-term effectiveness, however, will depend on institutional capacity, rules, resources and implementation. The next phase will therefore require attention not only to the breadth of international participation, but also to the extent to which cooperation produces practical results in areas of shared concern.

The GGI is also becoming part of China’s broader policy planning. The 2026 Government Work Report reaffirmed China’s pursuit of the GGI and itsrole in the reform and development of the global governance system. The 15th Five-Year Plan covers the period from 2026 to 2030, providing a longer-term policy framework within which the initiative can develop from guiding principles into sustained programs, institutional cooperation and practical outcomes.

Why the GGI Matters to Laos

The GGI resonates with several longstanding elements of Lao foreign-policy thinking, including sovereign equality, respect for the UN Charter and international law, multilateralism, peaceful cooperation, and attention to the development interests of developing countries.

The country has expressed support for China’s four major global initiatives. During President ThonglounSisoulith’s visit to China in 2025, he stated that the Lao side “fully supports” the GGI and expressed readiness to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China on international affairs.

Such engagement extends beyond the bilateral relationship. As an ASEAN Member State and developing country, the Laos’ perspective places particular importance on an international system that enables smaller states to participate effectively, gives due attention to development priorities, and promotes consultation and inclusiveness.This perspective also reflects the broader interests of developing countries in ensuring that international institutions take account of diverse national circumstances and development needs. Active engagement in multilateral institutions and cooperation mechanisms can provide smaller states with opportunities to bring their experiences and priorities into wider multilateral discussions.

Linking Global Governance with Development

The connection between global governance and development is particularly evident in the building of an All-Weather Laos-China Community with a Shared Future for the New Era and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). These frameworks have provided practical platforms for connectivity, trade, investment, rural development and people-to-people exchanges. The Laos-China Railway, for example, demonstrates how national infrastructure can become part of wider regional economic networks.

The significance of such cooperation extends beyond infrastructure itself. Improved connectivity can create opportunities for trade, tourism, logistics and investment, while its longer-term contribution depends on whether these opportunities translate into sustainable and inclusive development. This reflects the people-centered dimension of the GGI: international cooperation gains greater significance when it generates tangible benefits for communities and supports national development priorities.

These priorities include connectivity, human-resource development, digital transformation, environmental sustainability and poverty reduction. Linking them with regional and international cooperation provides a practical avenue for advancing development objectives while contributing to broader discussions on how international cooperation can better respond to the needs of developing countries.

Multilateralism and the Laos’ Contribution

Laos upholds multilateralism, respecting the Charter of the United Nations (UN), the sovereign equality of all states, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Under the current complex and fast-changing international situation, multilateral cooperation and global governance are increasingly important for upholding the international system with the UN at its core, the international order underpinned by international law and the basic norms of international relations underpinned by the UN Charter, and ensuring that all countries can participate fairly in addressing global challenges.

For small and developing countries, multilateralism provides an important platform to strengthen their international roles, express their views, and participate in shaping the global agenda. Common rules and mechanisms also help reduce the risks of unilateral actions and promote predictable, transparent, and mutually beneficial international relations.

In this context, the GGI provides a framework for dialogue and cooperation that emphasizes respect for international principles, the strengthening of multilateral institutions, and greater representation of developing countries in global affairs. For Laos, following and engaging in discussions on the initiative offers opportunities to exchange views, explore its underlying concepts, and identify areas of cooperation consistent with national interests. Cooperation with China and other partners also contributes to mutual understanding and the promotion of shared interests.

At the regional level, ASEAN is a key mechanism for Laos to coordinate positions with Member States, promote ASEAN centrality, and safeguard shared interests. Through ASEAN and other multilateral frameworks, Laos can contribute to addressing regional challenges and promoting peace, stability, and sustainable development.

Overall, multilateralism is both a key principle of Laos’ foreign policy and a practical means of safeguarding national interests and strengthening its international role. Upholding multilateral principles, strengthening international institutions, and coordinating with partner countries remain important to building a peaceful, fair, and development-oriented international environment amid rapid global changes.

Artificial Intelligence: A New Area for Lao Engagement

Artificial intelligence (AI) is another emerging area in which Laos’ international engagement is becoming increasingly visible. On 16 July 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs ThongsavanhPhomvihane represented the Lao Government at the signing of the agreement establishing the WAICO in Shanghai. Laos was among the 29 founding members of the organization.

AI governance is increasingly becoming part of the wider international agenda. Issues involving data, technological standards, safety, access, digital inequality and the responsible use of AI require international cooperation. For developing countries, involvement in these discussions is particularly important because emerging governance frameworks need to take account of different levels of technological development, institutional capacity and access to technology.

Laos can contribute to this discussion by emphasizing capacity building, access to technology and knowledge, responsible innovation and digital inclusion. Its engagement in emerging AI governance mechanisms also illustrates how countries with smaller digital economies can contribute perspectives to discussions on emerging international norms rather than simply adapting to rules developed elsewhere.

What Should the Second Year Focus On?

As the GGI enters its second year, its further development will depend increasingly on implementation. Broad principles need to be translated into practical programs, effective institutions and measurable outcomes. Complementarity with the United Nations and existing multilateral mechanisms will also remain important to ensure that new forms of cooperation reinforce established frameworks.

Continued consultation will be equally important. Countries engaging with the initiative do not necessarily share identical interests or interpretations, making dialogue essential for identifying areas of common ground. For developing countries, participation should extend beyond representation to effective involvement in discussions on technology, financing, institutional capacity and international standards. International cooperation must also remain responsive to shared challenges, including climate change, public health, food and energy security, technological transformation, sustainable development and transnational crime.

The second year should therefore place greater emphasis on turning principles into practice, strengthening institutional cooperation, broadening developing-country engagement and addressing shared global challenges. Progress in these areas will be important in determining whether the GGI can develop from a set of guiding principles into sustained and effective international cooperation.

Laos and the Next Phase of Global Governance

The second year of the GGI provides Laos with an opportunity to deepen its engagement with ASEAN and the wider international system. The experience of the first year suggests that the initiative’s significance will increasingly depend on how effectively its principles are translated into practical cooperation and tangible outcomes.For Laos, this creates an opportunity to move from expressing support towards a more active and constructive role. This can be pursued through the institutions and mechanisms in which the country is alreadyengaged, particularly the United Nations and ASEAN, while also engaging the emerging forms of international cooperation.

As an ASEAN Member State and developing country, Laos brings perspectives and experience shaped by its national development priorities and regional engagement. By connecting these priorities with broader multilateral cooperation, the country can contribute constructively to making global governance more inclusive, responsive and effective.

KPL