Beijing – China’s vision for a community that shares the future of humanity has evolved from rhetoric to a tangible global structure, providing a powerful anti-narrative and mechanism to challenge developing countries with a Western-centric world order.
Professor Zhang Yanqiu, Associate Dean of the Institute for Community Research, with Shared Futures at the University of Communications in China (CUC), clarified this perspective in an exclusive interview with Tehran Times. Her remarks followed a widely accredited speech on constructive journalism attended by dozens of international journalists in Beijing’s conference hall.
Zhang’s applauded speech analysed the efforts of Western media to smear China and other countries. She argued that this framing underscores the need for an alternative paradigm in international discourse and governance.
Beyond the Slogan: Shared Future Actions
When asked about President Xi Jinping’s vision for a global community of a shared future, Professor Chang argued that this concept is now a reality and a driving force behind multilateralism. “It is China’s basic foreign policy principle. It is also China’s solution for international governance. We have received a lot of recognition from all over the world,” she emphasized.
Professor Chan, director of CUC’s Centre for African Communication Studies, highlighted the practical academic involvement of the concept, citing the establishment of 22 global joint research centres between her institute and major universities.
“Most researchers are fully aware of the importance of this concept because they are really reading for the future, sharing values, and a new world order to break the original world order,” she said.
Global South amplification
According to Professor Chang, an important element of this new world order is the empowerment of the Global South.
“Yes, the global tropical countries are on the rise. They share a lot of commonalities about history, background and development goals,” Zhang pointed out. While acknowledging the global historical dominance of the North, she argued that a shared concept of future provides a foundation for true cooperation.
“This concept offers a global tropical country (with a framework) to work closely for North and South cooperation that respects each other and respects mutual benefits. It does not govern one another. It is based on winning cooperation.” She emphasized that this forms the “core concept” of a shared vision of the future.
IOMED: Mediation as the backbone of the institution
Looking at the recent groundbreaking establishment of the International Mediation Organization (IOMED) in Hong Kong, Professor Chang positioned it as a direct application of shared future philosophy.
“I think it is also one of China’s efforts to apply a global community of a shared future,” Zhang said. She links it to China’s “three global initiatives” (development, security and civilization), and described it as a “practical effort” for the Chinese government to “introduce dialogue and conversations in international conflict.”
The signing ceremony of the IOMED Convention held in Hong Kong on Friday marked a diplomatic milestone. It showed strong global support for China’s mediation approach, attracting 400 high-level representatives from 85 countries and 20 international organizations. Among them, 33 countries became founding members, signaling confidence in the potential of IOMED to transform global conflict resolution.
The IOMED counters the dominant Western-centric judicial and arbitration mechanisms that address significant gaps, impose all outcomes of rigid winners, and often ignores the interests of subtle parties.
BRI: Economic Engine
Professor Chang also highlighted the key role of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in advancing a shared future. “The Belt and Road Initiative is one of the global community’s support approaches for Shared Future,” she explained. “That’s from an economic perspective.”
The BRI stands as a concrete symptom of economic cooperation and infrastructure advances that are beneficial to both sides, forming a key pillar of the shared future framework and accelerating the integrated progress defended by President XI.
Professor Chang crystallizes comprehensive multilateralism, a clear philosophy that guides China’s foreign policy. It is rooted in equal participation and is demonstrated through support of the UN framework, advocacy of fair trade/climate policy in response to the Global South, shared development of BRIs, and mediation of innovative IOMEDs.
This vision emerges through the BRI, a future concept of sharedness, and is iomed under Xi’s principles of friendship, integrity, mutual benefit and inclusivity, robbing of compelling alternatives focused on shared security, collective prosperity, and collaborative dialogue. It contrasts with historic trends in favour of unilateral action, strategic interests that prioritize consensus, and unauthorized measures to bypass institutions.