An aerial drone photo taken on March 28, 2026 shows a view in the Xiong'an New Area in north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

The upcoming 2026 Global Governance Forum in Xiong'an New Area, North China’s Hebei Province, aims to explore concrete pathways and effective solutions for translating shared ideas and consensus into practical action, an official from the forum’s organizer said on Friday.

Scheduled for October 23-25, the forum will bring together influential figures in global governance from around the world to discuss reform of the global governance system, according to Wu Ken, president of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs. Through tangible, feasible and accessible solutions, it seeks to strengthen the international community’s confidence and resolve to overcome difficulties, work together and build a more just and equitable global governance system, he said.
 
The forum has confirmed the participation of more than 180 overseas guests from more than 90 countries across the Global South, Europe, North America and elsewhere, alongside more than 180 Chinese guests, Wu said.
 
The forum will include 22 seminars across five thematic tracks and a range of supporting events, Wu said.
 
In recent years, China has put forward proposals and promoted cooperation to help reform and improve global governance.

It proposed the Global Governance Initiative on September 1, 2025, with its five core concepts being sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, a people-centered approach and focusing on taking real actions.

In a white paper released on June 17, China called for building a global governance system that is fairer and more equitable, stable, and effective, and advocates that countries unite and cooperate, take concrete action, and transform the vision and blueprint of the Global Governance Initiative into a roadmap and timeline for joint action.

China’s support for the gathering is a concrete step toward implementing Global Governance Initiative, Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Friday. With global governance under strain and economic and technological developments raising new questions for international trade, Zhou said the gathering offers an opportunity for participants to explore solutions and find common ground.

“Whether we are pursuing development or facing shared challenges, we need to work together,” he said. “No country can tackle these issues alone or resolve them by unilaterally changing international trade and economic rules.”

As a major developing country, China has taken a responsible role in addressing international issues, Zhou said, adding that by remaining open to other countries’ development needs and working to balance different interests, China is translating its commitment to a development-centered international economic and trade order into action.

Notably, Xiong’an serves as a case study in urban governance for an international audience. The forum aims to connect Xiong’an with the world, fostering a deeper understanding of the city and facilitating the exchange of governance experience and solutions.