Abstracts

Toward an Asian Community with a Shared Future amid the Transformation of Global Governance： China’s Theory and Practice

YANG Jiemian

Abstract： Asia is the world’s largest continent and the birthplace of major civilizations. Thinkers like Marx and Lenin paid close attention to its struggles for national liberation. Building on this legacy， generations of Chinese Communist Party leaders have made important theoretical and practical contributions to Asia’s revolutionary and progressive movements. Today， President Xi Jinping has introduced a series of initiatives—including the Community with a Shared Future for Mankind， the Asian Community with a Shared Future， and a Community with a Shared Future in China’s Neighborhood. China is working with its Asian neighbors to build a shared future through economic cooperation， joint peacebuilding， and cultural exchange. At the same time， it is advancing similar goals globally in partnership with the international community. These efforts provide a roadmap for reforming regional and global governance. Their close alignment ensures that the vision of a shared future translates into tangible outcomes， while keeping governance systems on a principled and stable path. Progress won’t happen overnight. Building an Asian Community of Shared Future—and reshaping global governance—means tackling historical legacies step by step， promoting development as a basis for security amid geopolitical rivalry， and using digital transformation to upgrade economic and technological capacity. It will take sustained effort from the people of Asia and beyond， and active cooperation from the wider international community.

Keywords： Community with a Shared Future for Mankind， Asian Community with a Shared Future， China’s neighborhood， world order， global governance architecture

Global Science and Technology Governance under the UN Framework： Process， Efficacy， and Prospects

ZHANG Guihong and JIANG Junji

Abstract： The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations （UN）. Since its inception， the UN has played a pivotal role in shaping global science and technology （Samp;T） governance， which has evolved through three distinct phases： foundational establishment， diversified development， and new exploration. These phases are respectively exemplified by global nuclear governance， global internet governance， and global artificial intelligence （AI） governance. Global Samp;T governance under the UN framework is characterized by a multiplicity of actors， a broad range of issues， complex regulatory rules， institutionalized processes， and uncertain future trajectories. Among these features， institutionalization stands out as particularly significant. Through the creation of organizational structures， the establishment of cooperative mechanisms， and the development of normative frameworks， the UN has become both a critical force and a central platform in the institutionalization of global Samp;T governance. It has demonstrated institutional effectiveness in promoting peace， advancing development， and safeguarding human rights. However， the rapid proliferation of emerging technologies has exposed significant governance deficits—manifested in reactive policymaking， regulatory fragmentation， and asymmetries among stakeholders. To address these challenges， the UN must clarify its role and articulate a clear direction for global Samp;T governance under its framework. This entails enhancing its governance adaptability through strategic role construction and institutional innovation， reinforcing its position as the “main channel” for global Samp;T governance， and improving the quality and effectiveness of international governance of emerging technologies.

Keywords： United Nations， global science and technology governance， emerging technologies， artificial intelligence， institutionalization

The United Nations at Eighty： Shaping， Evolution， and Prospects of Its Political Architecture

MAO Ruipeng

Abstract： Born from the ashes of World War II， the United Nations reflects both humanity’s quest for enduring global peace and shared prosperity and the calculated bargains of great powers. Its political architecture arises from the interplay of three foundational elements： institutional frameworks， state power， and interstate alliances. The distribution of authority among UN bodies and its decision-making processes provides the structural bedrock; disparities in national influence—within the organization and beyond—determine a state’s ability to steer agendas and outcomes; and alliances serve as vital instruments for amplifying bargaining leverage. As a barometer of the international power structure， the UN’s political landscape has evolved over eight decades： from great-power coordination in its formative years， to East-West schisms amid Cold War bipolarity and Western dominance in the early postwar era， to the mid-1960s emergence of North-South divides alongside persistent ideological clashes， and finally to the post-Cold War interplay of American unipolarity and emergent multipolarity. The trajectory ahead remains fraught with uncertainty. Multipolarity holds profound promise but risks fomenting fresh antagonisms—particularly as the United States deploys coercive tactics to preserve its hegemony， potentially transforming the UN into a theater of great-power strife. Security Council reform， central to reshaping the organization’s power dynamics， continues to falter amid entrenched negotiations. Yet， while sovereign states retain primacy， the UN is poised to integrate nongovernmental organizations more robustly， enhancing its adaptability in a turbulent world.

Keywords： United Nations， political architecture， institutional frameworks， state power， interstate alliances， United States

Shaping Institutional Equilibrium： U.S.-China Contest over International Institutions in the Middle East

SUN Degang and YE Yu

Abstract： International institutional rivalries constitute a critical dimension of U.S. strategic competition with China in the Middle East. These rivalries unfold across three interconnected levels—ranging from micro to macro—namely： （1） zero-sum competition within existing institutions; （2） parallel competition between U.S.-led and China-led institutions; and （3） broader competition over the global order that transcends institutional boundaries. The first level is exemplified by U.S.–China competition within multilateral frameworks such as the UN Security Council and the dialogue mechanisms surrounding the Iranian nuclear issue， where the core of the rivalry lies in conflicting norms and approaches to conflict resolution. The second level involves parallel， often symbolic institutional engagements—such as the China-Arab Summit versus the U.S.-Arab Summit， the China-GCC Summit versus the U.S.-GCC Summit， and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum versus the Negev Forum—highlighting the contest to lead regional multilateral diplomacy. The third level reflects strategic competition over global governance models， illustrated by China’s Belt and Road Initiative （BRI） versus the U.S. Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment （PGII）; the Shanghai Cooperation Organization （SCO） versus the North Atlantic Treaty Organization （NATO）; and the BRICS group versus the I2U2 forum. The United States’ institutional diplomacy tends to prioritize bloc expansion and exclusivity—often described as “small yards with high fences”—aiming to reinforce its geopolitical dominance through rapid enlargement. By contrast， China’s approach emphasizes gradual， inclusive growth， foregrounds geoeconomic cooperation， and advances institutional development through incremental membership expansion. In response to this intensifying institutional competition， Middle Eastern states have pursued a range of strategic behaviors， including bandwagoning， balancing， hedging， and in some cases， disengagement. These varied alignments reflect the region’s efforts to navigate great-power rivalries while maximizing strategic autonomy.

Keywords： international institutional rivalry， U.S.-China relations， realist institutionalism， Middle East， international security

Hegemonic Decline and Strategic Autonomy： International System Transition and Regional Reordering in the Middle East

ZHAO Jing and LIU Zhongmin

Abstract： Since 2011， the systemic reconfiguration of the Middle East has been marked by a growing emphasis on strategic autonomy and development-oriented priorities. The interplay between the international system and the regional order—across the dimensions of power， institutions， and ideas—has shaped the trajectory of the Middle East's ongoing transformation. On the international level， the global system is undergoing a shift toward a multipolar power structure， a more multidimensional institutional framework， and increasingly pluralistic normative foundations. The decline of Western hegemony has reduced structural pressures on the region， easing external constraints and expanding strategic space for regional actors. In response， Middle Eastern countries have pursued greater strategic autonomy， enhancing their independence in foreign policymaking and implementation， while increasingly prioritizing domestic economic development and social governance. These changes point toward a more balanced regional configuration and the gradual emergence of a more equitable regional order. This positive reordering of the Middle East has broader global implications. It supports the democratization of international relations， enables exploration of diverse paths to modernization， contributes to the reform of global governance， and fosters cross-cultural dialogue and mutual learning. However， the deepening of this transformation is not without challenges. Intensifying great power rivalry， unconstructive forms of competition， persistent regional geopolitical tensions， and multiple domestic crises continue to complicate the process. Still， the structural decline of Western hegemony is an irreversible trend in the current era， and the adjustment of the Middle East regional system stands to provide vital momentum for the collective rise of the Global South.

Keywords： international system， Middle Eastern order， hegemonic decline， strategic autonomy， systemic reconfiguration

Temporal Anxiety and Intertemporal Strategy： How Dominant Powers Adjust to Rising Rivals

SUN Zhiqiang

Abstract： Under conditions of incomplete information， threat perception， time pressure， and uncertainty about future scenarios， a dominant power tends to experience temporal anxiety. Driven by this anxiety， it develops a persistent fear of time slipping away and of losing control over the strategic timeline. As a result， the dominant power engages in intertemporal strategic adjustments aimed at countering the rise of a challenger. Specifically， the dominant power seeks to construct a temporal boundary framework for resource allocation， applies time discounting to calibrate the intensity and pace of its strategic responses， and establishes a strategic rhythm tailored to the rising power. If this rhythm is well-balanced， the dominant power can more effectively contain the challenger; if it is unbalanced—either overly aggressive or too lax—it risks losing its dominant position. This hypothesis is examined through two historical cases： Britain’s strategy toward Germany from the time of German unification to the eve of World War I， and the United States’ strategy toward the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Today， strategic competition between the United States and China is intensifying. As the current dominant power， the United States is actively engaging in intertemporal strategic adjustments and designing a strategic rhythm aimed at China. In response， China must discern the rhythm of U.S. strategy and develop effective countermeasures to ensure its peaceful rise within the existing international system.

Keywords： time anxiety， period boundary structure， time discounting， intertemporal decision-making， strategic rhythm

The Institutional Resilience and Sustainable Development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

PENG Xin

Abstract： As the world undergoes profound changes unseen in a century， resilience has become a critical attribute and capability for international institutions to navigate uncertainty and sustain their development. This study integrates the concept of resilience with institutional elements， proposing a research framework that supports the sustainable development of international organizations. By viewing resilience as an inherent institutional attribute， the study examines the foundations of sustainability. It also explores how resilience is cultivated through the interaction between institutions and their external environments， highlighting the capacity for adaptive development. As a multilateral cooperation mechanism established by developing countries， the Shanghai Cooperation Organization （SCO） has been compelled to evolve in accordance with the principles of resilience， responding to internal heterogeneity and a fragmented external environment. The SCO’s normative foundation of resilience—rooted in values such as inclusiveness and mutual trust—and its longstanding tradition of cooperation， provide the conceptual basis for its sustainability. Meanwhile， its structural foundation—encompassing a system of rules， operational mechanisms， and a cooperative model that balances cohesion with flexibility—offers institutional stability and adaptability. The SCO’s resilience capabilities， expressed through the integration of external resources and inter-institutional coordination， ensure its capacity for continued development. In the face of mounting internal and external pressures—including shifts in the global order driven by great power competition and growing coordination challenges from organizational expansion—resilience offers a timely and relevant analytical lens for assessing the SCO’s sustainable development. Moreover， as a multilateral organization with rich practical experience， the SCO’s origin， continuity， and enduring vitality contribute a valuable empirical foundation to the broader theory of institutional resilience.

Keywords： resilience foundation， resilience capability， Shanghai Cooperation Organization， sustainable development， international institutions