The international community expects China to remain firmly committed to multilateralism and uphold the global system built around the United Nations, UN Undersecretary-General for Policy Guy Ryder said on the sidelines of the 2026 Global Governance Forum in Xiong'an, north China's Hebei Province.
Hosted by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, the three-day forum opened on Friday in Xiong'an New Area under the theme "Rebuilding Confidence and Cooperation: Reforming and Improving Global Governance in a Transforming World," with discussions centered on multilateral cooperation, artificial intelligence and sustainable development.
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), Ryder highlighted China's vital role as a permanent member of the UN Security Council in sustaining global multilateral cooperation.
"China is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, and the size and influence of China in the world are such that we look to China to remain strongly committed to multilateralism. And I think it is. I think we hear very consistent messaging from the Chinese government of commitment to the United Nations. China wants a system of international cooperation with the United Nations at its center. So, this is all very important for a world which I repeat, is divided. There is a lot of tension in the world. So, these are areas I think where China can play a very helpful role," he said.
Beyond the question of China's role, Ryder reflected on the forum's broader purpose, saying its open and constructive focus on global governance reform helps build consensus at a moment when the United Nations itself is under pressure to adapt to a rapidly changing world.
"We do understand that the world is changing very quickly. Multilateralism is under strain. The United Nations needs to change as the world changes as well. We stick with our principles, we stick with the United Nations Charter, but the way that we work and the issues that we deal with have to evolve. As the world changes, new problems are emerging. Artificial intelligence is a great example. We have to adapt to deal with those challenges, and I think the governance forum here is having these discussions in a very open and a very positive way," he said.
Ryder's final reflections turned to the host city itself. Designated in 2017 as a new development zone southwest of Beijing, Xiong'an is being built largely from the ground up as a modern urban center for the wider Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region -- a scale of planning, the UN official said, that left a deep impression on him.
"This is the city of the future. We have to try and deal with our problems today with a clear eye to what it means for future generations, for what the people who come after us will live in, and I think this city is an embodiment of that forward-looking attitude towards policy making," he said.
International community expects China to maintain strong commitment to multilateralism: UN official
