Wang Huiyao: CCG’s new book offers new perspectives on global governance
October 11 , 2021
Wang Huiyao, President of the Center for China and Globalization
On October 11, the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and Springer jointly launched the book, Consensus or Conflict? – China and Globalization in the 21st century, a book focusing on coping with global challenges and promoting global governance, for the first time in the world.
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on international politics, the world economy and global governance. Multipolarization remains a core theme in the world today, but new changes continue to emerge in the relations between major global powers, which are currently in a period of considerable flux. These complex interactions have further intensified the game between powers. What impact will the changes in the relations between the major powers have on the world? Will global governance move toward economic or military alliances? Can globalization, which has suffered setbacks, be put back on track?
In this background, I would like to briefly introduce our inspiration for the book Consensus or Conflict? – China and Globalization in the 21st century, the authors that have contributed to it, the global hot issues discussed in it and the differences compared with other similar works.
First of all, we chose the title Consensus or Conflict?, because these are the two main choices the world faces today. At the same time, this book was born from several elements. First, an idea in the spirit of globalization, second a status quo in which changes in the global governance system lag behind developments in globalization, as well as a catalyst in Covid-19, which poses great global challenges.
A globalized world is indispensable for maintaining a peaceful and sustainable world order and helps to protect the common good of all humanity. Currently, a ‘flat, fused’ globalized world is racing ahead of the ‘rules-based’ order. This is the central governance challenge we face today. Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, in a recent online dialogue with CCG, also asked, “How do we govern such a world? This is a tough issue of all humanity.” Meanwhile, the rampant spread of Covid-19 poses an incredible challenge to building a peaceful and sustainable world order. These factors prompted us to send letters of request to authors around the world, starting in the fall of 2020, to provide insights on the current global challenges shared by all countries and to discuss new ideas for global governance.
Second, Consensus or Conflict? – China and Globalization in the 21st Century is the first book in the China and Globalization series, which brings together the wisdom of internationally renowned scholars and policy makers to discuss the current challenges and dilemmas facing globalization and global governance, while also providing insights on global governance, climate change, global public health, migration, and globalization. The series offers diverse perspectives and feasible policies on hot issues such as global governance, climate change, global public health, migration, the technological revolution, financial markets, and sustainable development, and analyzes why a consensus on the future of the world is the only way forward for human development.
Thirty-eight authors have contributed to this unprecedented work. Among others, these include:
Pascal Lamy, former Director-General of the WTO and current President of Paris Peace Forum
Joseph S. Nye Jr., Former Dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, originator of “soft power”
Edmund Phelps, Winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Economics
Kishore Mahbubani, a senior diplomat and founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore
Lord Jim O’Neill, Chairman of Royal Institute for International Affairs and originator of the “BRICS”
Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Wendy Cutler, former U.S. TPP trade negotiator
H. E. Shaukat Aziz, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan
Grzegorz W. Kołodko, Former Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance of Poland
Zhu Guangyao, Former Vice Minister of Finance of China
He Yafei, Former Vice Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China
Jeffrey Lehman, Inaugural Vice Chancellor of New York University Shanghai
Denis F. Simon, Former Executive Vice Chancellor of Duke Kunshan University (DKU)
Once again, this book has three major distinctions from others. The 35 first authors are from North America, the Europe, Africa and Asia, covering a broad sphere of the globe and standing for global voices.
These contributors come from spectra of politics, academia, business, international organizations, research institutions, educational institutions, with a profoundly professional background and refreshingly practical approach, providing reliable views from a variety of perspectives.
Second, the topics explored in this book are relevant to today’s times. The book contains 35 articles covering seven major themes:
Points of the book are diverse and professional, which are oriented to seek consensus and propose policy solutions to problems.
For example, Pascal Lamy believes that globalization can continue to contribute to the betterment of mankind, and it is essential that a new order serves not only the established powers, but a greater number of the newly emerging nations.
Joseph S. Nye Jr. proposes that the US should create a “COVID Marshall Plan” to strengthen global healthcare systems. Such leadership could enhance US ‘soft power’ and by 2030 have a similarly significant geopolitical effect as the original Marshall Plan.
Edmund Phelps suggests China should learn from history as it transits from a middle-to-high-income country. China has long enjoyed high growth rates as it has worked to catch up to rest of the world. If China is to make the leap from a middle-to-high-income country, then China must develop indigenous innovation and continue improving its institutions.
H. E. Shaukat Aziz suggests the creation of a global one-stop-shop disaster relief unit under the auspices of the UN and the restructure of the IMF and the World Bank for the realities of the revolutionary digital and biosphere age.
I think that China can help lead the way in building a “new Bretton Woods system” and rethinking global governance by supporting the strengthening of existing institutions, such as transforming the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank into a Global Infrastructure Investment Bank.
In addition, twelve internationally renowned leaders and scholars have provided their support in recommending this book to a global audience. For instance, Sir Danny Alexander, Vice President, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) said that “Multilateral co-operation is critically important to address the many challenges we face…This collection of essays is a very useful contribution for those seeking to understand our rapidly changing and globally connected economies and societies.”
Rana Mitter, Professor of Contemporary Chinese History and Politics at the University of Oxford, said, “The relationship between China and the West is one of the most important relationships in modern geopolitics. The authors of this book have contributed a wealth of insightful ideas on how to approach the future of Sino-Western relations”.
Sir Angus Deaton, winner of the 2015 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, wished “the book every success and hope very much that it contributes to a more balanced view of China in the world.”
It took more than a year from our first call for papers to its release. Consensus or conflict? While this is a question, the book comes at the right time given the potential for further global turmoil in 2021. We are grateful to the openness of the many authors who have contributed insightful and original essays to such a landmark book. We hope their thoughts will stimulate a fruitful dialogue that will move countries forward to a better future for global governance and to address the challenges that loom on the horizon.
[Book Introduction Video]
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