To understand China’s vision and proposals in the global governance arena, such as “the community of shared future for mankind,” several scholars offered their perspectives.

Civilization exchanges

How do we facilitate exchanges and connections between the East and the West to advance the shared civilization of humankind? Peter Frankopan, a global history professor from the University of Oxford, believes “the best and only way to facilitate exchange is to create opportunities to listen and learn from each other.” This is difficult during a pandemic, but mutual understanding and trust are essential for any good relationship to work.

Rolf Langhammer, a professor from the Kiel Institute of World Economics in Germany, noted “East (China) and West (US/Europe) must accept that while the target of shared civilization is common, ways to achieve it will be different: with much more confidence in the ingenuity and freedom of individuals in the West and with much more confidence in community discipline and shared values in the East.”

Shared future

The possible application of the community of shared future can be envisioned for many global problems.

“The institutionalization of the community of shared future for mankind can be seen via its actual use and practice in the ‘real world,’” said Chris Rowley, a professor emeritus from Bayes Business School at the City University of London. “The community of shared future for mankind is a worthy idea. Understanding this concept thoroughly depends on the ‘flesh’ that is put on the ‘bones.’”

Langhammer contends that China has surprised the old world in the sense that its membership in global institutions (e.g. the WTO) began as a strong partnership. China recognized that the rules of global institutions were initially made by the West and did not subordinate its own ambitions as a rising major country, but instead, introduced new global governance concepts for the international community under the rules of the global institutions.

Frankopan shares an interest in new global governance focus areas, “Clearly, climate, demographics, disease, and environments all play important roles in giving or restricting the choices that states and great powers have. These are all topics I am working on closely at the moment, each and all are fundamental to understanding what challenges and opportunities may arise in the future.”