Maseru — Chinese Ambassador to Lesotho Mr. Yang Xiaokun has called for collaborations to deepen mutual understanding and help advance a more just and equitable global governance system and a community with a shared future for humanity.

This he said when delivering his remarks during a seminar marking the first anniversary of the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) proposed by President Xi Jinping on September 1, 2025 with the Faculty of Political and Administration Studies of the National University of Lesotho (NUL) on Monday.

He said they have chosen to mark this anniversary through a Seminar with NUL scholars of international politics because Global governance is a subject that deserves not only the attention of governments and diplomats, but also the thinking and contribution of universities, scholars and young people.

He said the first anniversary of the GGI also comes at an important moment saying on September 1, President Xi Jinping, at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus meeting in Bishkek, called for efforts to make global governance more just and equitable and advocated an equal and orderly multipolar world.

Ambassador Yang said, President Xi stressed that the trend toward a multipolar world is irreversible and that multipolarity, independent choice of development paths and greater democracy in international relations are the right way forward.
"He also emphasized that sovereign equality and mutual respect are fundamental principles and that all countries, regardless of their size, strength and wealth, should enjoy equal rights, equal opportunities and equal rules. As an important part of a multipolar world and a key driving force behind it, the Global South ought to have greater representation and voice in international affairs," he said.

He stated that Lesotho's participation in the GGI takes on particular significance saying Lesotho was one of the 43 founding members of the Group of Friends of Global Governance. Therefore through this platform, Lesotho is participating in international dialogue and coordination on strengthening multilateralism and advancing a more just and equitable global governance system.

"This is a concrete expression of the role that African countries and developing countries can play in shaping the international governance agenda. This convergence is also clearly reflected in the China-Lesotho Joint Press Communiqué in January this year," he said.

The two sides shared the belief that changes unseen in a century are accelerating and Global South countries are playing an increasingly important role in international affairs and reaffirmed their commitment to close collaboration to jointly oppose unilateral sanctions, protectionism and economic hegemonism, promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization and establish a more just and equitable global governance system.

He highlighted that Lesotho also expressed support for the four global initiatives, recognizing that these initiatives are injecting stability and certainty to a turbulent world.

These shared positions provide an important political foundation for the two countries to deepen coordination on international and regional affairs and to advance their bilateral strategic partnership. Ambassador Yang described that 2026 also gives them a particularly good opportunity to further strengthen the people-centered dimension of their partnership.

He said China and Africa are celebrating the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, while Lesotho is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its independence saying these two milestones offer an especially valuable opportunity to deepen exchanges between their peoples, particularly in education, culture, youth development and academic cooperation.

He indicated that universities and scholars have an important role in thinking about how the international system is changing, what these changes mean for Africa and the Global South and how countries such as Lesotho can contribute to shaping the international system of the future.

"We hope that today's seminar will be the beginning of more sustained exchanges between the Chinese Embassy and the National University of Lesotho. We welcome your views and research on the GGI and the Embassy stands ready to facilitate further academic exchange and dialogue on international affairs", he lamented.

On the other hand, NUL Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Regina Thetsane said no country, regardless of its size or level of development can address the major challenges of their time alone.

She said this seminar is particularly timely as they continue to witness underrepresentation of the Global South in important global matters, challenges to the effectiveness of multilateral institutions and concerns about observance of the purposes and principles of the United Nations (UN) Charter.

She said GGI offers renewed hope for addressing these gaps and strengthening the multilateral systems.
She noted that GGI does not seek to overturn the existing international order or create parallel system, rather it seeks to make the existing international system and institutions more effective, responsive and capable of serving the interests of all countries particularly developing countries.

"For a country like Lesotho, the question of global governance is not an abstract alone, it has direct implications for our development, our access to global opportunities and our ability to have our national interests and perspectives recognised in international decision-making," she said.

Therefore she said they welcome initiatives that encourage greater dialogue, inclusivity, cooperation and a stronger voice for developing countries in addressing challenges that affect them all.

Additionally, she highlighteed that higher education instituttions are not only centres of learning, they are spaces where ideas are exchanged, cultures converge, partnerships are formed and future leaders are developed.

She reaffirmed NUL's commitment to collaboration, mutual respect and shared progress. She said the seminar provide an opportunity not only to reflect on the Global Governance Initiative but also to strengthen the partnerships and conversations that can contribute to a more inclusive and effective multilateral system.

Moreover, Senior Lecturer Dr. Mamello Rakolobe said their task is to analyse GGI and how they can translate into localised agendas. She said for global initiatives to succeed, it needs rigorous analysis of scholars saying she hopes this collaboration can create powerful signage and move from one day seminar to more interactions.

She added that this marks not a day of academic but a robust lasting partnership between themselves and the embassy.
Global governance is a common endeavor that bears on the wellbeing of all humanity and building a just and equitable global governance system is a shared vision long pursued by peoples across the world including China and Finland.
Over 80 years ago, the United Nations (UN) was founded as a multilateral platform for countries to address international affairs through dialogue and consultation.

It established international rules underpinning the rule of law, ushering in a new phase in global governance. In recent times, however, unilateralism, protectionism and hegemonism have been spreading unchecked, while deficits in peace, development, security and trust continue to expand. Reforming and improving global governance to resolve these challenges and letting the UN play a core role have thus become a critical topic for the future of humanity.