Narrowing gap

Unbalanced development, clash of civilizations among barriers to globalization, expert says

Emerging countries like China play a bigger role in global governance.

The West remains the biggest contributor and participator in global governance, with some emerging economies narrowing the gap, according to a report on 189 states’ participation in world affairs.

Based on primary indicators including mechanisms, performance, decision-making and responsibilities, the top countries in order are the United States, France, the United Kingdom, China and Japan. The top four are permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Most G8 and G20 member states are ranked in the top 30, with emerging countries such as China and India playing a bigger role in global governance.

Beijing scores high in economic contributions to global GDP, while New Delhi has performed well in “shouldering global responsibilities” thanks to its large number of personnel in UN peacemaking missions, said the report.

Issued on Thursday by the Political Science Institute of East China University of Political Science and Law, the Center for China and Globalization and China

Gao Qiqi, professor at East China University of Political Science and Law

International Publishing Group, the report is the fourth of its kind.

“The report came at a time when globalization is under siege, even in the West. It is expected to offer a glimpse of what should be done to optimize global governance,” said Wang Huiyao, president of the center.

From being a participator to a leading contributor to global governance, China stands firm in its endorsement of globalization, Wang said.

“But the challenges are worth noting. Neither US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton nor her Republican rival Donald Trump has the will to finish the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks,” he said.

Facing globalization are two major problems, said Gao Qiqi, a professor at East China University of Political Science and Law.

“The first is unbalanced development,” he said. “Many developed economies are suffering from sluggish growth, while their developing counterparts lack needed financial and infrastructure support.”

The second is the “clash of civilizations”, Gao said.

As the just-concluded G20 Summit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, indicated, China is ready to offer a plan on the basis of its achievements in national governance, he said.

“China’s traditional culture highlights the importance of inclusiveness, which is exactlywhat globalization needs to prosper, and it believes improving infrastructure comes first,” he said.

In a broader view, global governance largely hinges on emerging countries’ greater contributions in providing public goods and services over the next decade and the UN’s structural reform in the longer run, the report said.

China’s traditional culture highlights the importance of inclusiveness, which is exactly what globalization needs to prosper, and it believes improving infrastructure comes first.”