China is also Turkey's largest trading partner.
After two sessions, the Chinese government declares some decisions and that decisions directly affect the global economy and also, of course, Turkish economy.
This is why business leaders, tourism professionals on industrialists have been focusing so closely on the results of these meetings.
I think the biggest promise of China's global governance initiative for ordinary people and countries in the global south is a commitment to a more inclusive, development-focused international system.
Emerging nations have a real wise, practical infrastructure, support and equitable access to growth opportunities, rather than being passive rule takers in a system designed by others.
Welcome to the chat lounge.
I'm Xu Yawen.
For the first time, the Global Governance Initiative, a framework aimed at reforming international relations, is set to be included in the recommendations for China's new five-year plan.
It comes as national lawmakers and political advisors prepare to gather in Beijing for the annual two sessions in the coming days.
The initiative is based on sovereign equality, international law, and multilateralism.
It prioritizes the Global South, focusing on true multilateralism, a people-centered approach and tangible results.
It may sound like diplomatic jargon, but is it really that abstract?
And what does people-centered actually mean for ordinary people in the Global South?
Today, we will explore how these big ideas may be rooted in people's daily lives across the world.
Joining us to explore this are Oscar Altenbus, the chief of the foreign news service at Adenlink in Turkey, Mohammad Zamir Asadi, director at the China desk of Lord Media Network in Pakistan.
Welcome to the chat, gentlemen.
Oscar, let me come to you first.
The two sessions is China's biggest political event of the year.
We all know that.
Inside China, people are talking about jobs, housing and social welfare.
But outside China, people are watching too.
And you've been reporting on China for many years from Turkey.
When people in your country look at China's two sessions, what catches their attention?
And why do you think those topics resonate with them in Turkey as well?
Okay, thank you so much.
First of all, thank you for having me and happy new year.
I wish the new year brings happiness to all of you.
Two session, of course, is really important, not for only china, chinese people or china.
When it comes to the two session in turkey, the first thing people look for is a single framework that aligns growth targets with industry, export and tech policies.
So the main curiosity lies in how medium terms goes, specifically like the five-year plans right are located into the annual budget.
So the two sessions are as significant for the rest of the world as they are for china.
As the world's uh leading trading partner for over 120 countries, China has become the epicenter of global trade, nearly doubling to reach of the United States, which serves as the top partner for about 60 to 70 nations.
Consequently, the economic plans discussed during these sessions undoubtedly impact the global economy.
Of course,
Since China is also Turkey's largest trading partner, the decisions made here directly concern our country Turkey, from tourism to agriculture, to AI, automotive and digital investments.
The outcomes will personally affect people living in Turkey.
So this is why business leaders, tourism professionals and industrialists have been focusing so closely on the results of these meetings in recent years, because After two sessions, the Chinese government declares some decisions and that decisions directly affect the global economy and also, of course, Turkish economy.
So Turkey is actively working to attract Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers and battery factories to produce locally.
The support provided for the overseas investment of Chinese companies.
Companies during the two sessions will determine the flow of direct capital into turkey.
The mayor, the ggi, talks about putting people at the center, and that phrase can sound like a slogan, but in pakistan, the china pakistan economic corridor, or cpac, has moved from building highways to building factories and creating jobs.
Does that shift seem like people-centered cooperation to you?
And do you think the old way of doing global governance forgot about ordinary people?
Yes, thank you very much first of all for inviting me in this very significant debate at the start of the Chinese.
Happy New Year and very warm wishes for the Spring Festival as well.
And this is a very important time when China is going to host the two sessions that are already considered and taken as a very important sessions in China, not only for the domestic audience, but for the international audience as well.
As a Pakistani journalist observing developments on the ground over the past decade, I would say that the phrase putting people at the center only sounds like a slogan if you have not seen how policies translate into the real lives.
And when we talk about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor or the CPAC, we are not just talking about roads and power plants anymore.
In this early phase, CPAC focused heavily on infrastructure, motorways and energy projects.
But I think now we are clearly seeing a transition towards industrial cooperation between China and Pakistan under this flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative and towards a special economic zone, vocational training centers, agricultural modernization and the job creation.
So I think this shift, in my view, is exactly what people-centered cooperation really means.
And it really means a lot.
I think in the cities of Pakistan like Faisalabad in Punjab and Roshakai in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and in Gawadar in the Balochistan province as well.
When a young graduate finds employment in a new industrial zone under CPAC, when a technician receives training in modern machinery or when a local transporter gets benefits from increased trade activity.
I think that is not abstract geopolitics.
That is, direct impact on ordinary citizens.
Infrastructure builds the skeleton of an economy, but jobs, skills and industrial growth builds the muscle and the heart.
So yes, I do believe that this you know second phase of CPAC reflect a more people-centered approach.
And because it is now directly linked to livelihoods, poverty alleviation and local empowerment as well.
And historically, if we talk about much of the global governance, was shaped by powerful economies after the World War II.
And institutions were created with good intentions, stability, reconstruction, and development.
But over time, many developing countries have felt that their voices were limited in many parts of the global south.
Structural adjustments program, debt conditions and market-driven perceptions.
Sometimes prioritized macroeconomic indicators over human impact.
And I think growth numbers improved in some cases, but inequality widened.
But what is different in these emerging frameworks, like the Global Development Initiative or other cooperative models with the support of China, is the emphasis on the infrastructural connectivity, industrial capacity and long-term development partnerships, instead of just, I think, providing on building physical and economic foundation that enable countries to stand on their own feet.
And I think global governance should not be about blocks ideological competition.
It should always be about delivering dignity, opportunity and stability to ordinary citizens.
And if development model, whether led by East or West, achieve that, it deserves recognition.
That is the reason such initiatives are getting much more attention and much more respect in the international community as well.
Even though the global governance initiative was proposed the last year, the cooperation between China and Pakistan under the CPAC it has been implemented before this initiative was launched.
I think that's very important to mention.
Oscar, this year marks 55 years of diplomatic ties between China and Turkey.
We used to talk about mega projects like the high-speed railways, the projects in the fields of electricity, renewable energy, but let's get smaller.
Turkish pistachios are now sold in Chinese market and digital cooperation is growing.
Can you share a story with us about how this cooperation has changed everyday life for ordinary people in Turkey?
Yet
And how do you see the idea of this taking real actions under the GGI playing out in practice?
As we enter the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations, it is truly existing to see that our cooperation has moved beyond macro issues like high-speed trains or massive port projects, reaching the very dining tables and mobile phones of ordinary people.
China's decisions to boost domestic consumption during these sessions undoubtedly creates an opportunity for Turkey to export more agricultural products such as, like as you said, hazelnuts and pistachios, as well as raw materials like marble and boron.
I think the most significant reflection of this seen in digital products and automobiles.
Today, the mobile phone especially, is the tool people use most in their daily lives, followed closely by mobile applications, also in Turkey.
Everyone has a mobile phone and everyone using their mobile phones applications.
Over the past five years, the use of Chinese smartphone brands has increased dramatically.
It's like epically.
For example, like five, six years ago, you cannot see a lot of people who using the Chinese brands, phones especially
Like what kind of brands they're using?
The first in the top of the list, of course, Xiaomi.
And the second one is Huawei and Oppo.
And we will, you can see the people's hands when they like using the mobile phones.
So I can say the right now is Xiaomi is the leader of the mobile phone in Turkey.
This is a really big effect when you compare it like five years ago situation and right now.
And also in China, like global and like GGI is usually explained very simply, I think.
Not with big, we will save the world slogans maybe, but it's really basic questions.
What will actually change in people's lives tomorrow?
I think GGI is telling the people in Turkey, it's not only Turkey and also all around the world.
So it's not about theory, I think.
It's about whether something works or not.
So from my perspective, I think China is saying this.
Not everyone has become rich overnight, but no one should be left waiting forever, I think.
I can describe GGI from my perspective.
That's why GGI focuses less on giant headline grabbing projects and more on small, practical things that can be repaired and scaled.
For China, development means can farmers sell what they produce?
Can young people find digital jobs?
Are food, health care and energy actually accessible?
That's what development really looks like on the ground, I think, from my perspective about the GGI.
So from the Chinese point of view, I think mostly before, the thinking was build roads ports railways, and growth will follow.
Now it's more like if people don't benefit, the project doesn't matter.
I think this is one of the important parts of the GGI.
Always people get benefit from it.
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I just want to ask, based on your reporting on the ground, what observation have you noticed about ordinary people's lives?
Has been changed because of similar projects under the GGI?
There's a lot of investments.
I think I can start with this.
So, you know, especially for the Global South countries, there's a lot of investments.
And investment, not only for the big giant industry, as you said before, and also food, agricultural things.
There's a lot of investment.
And the people maybe 10 years ago, cannot reach the small things easily.
But right now, with the GGI and the big investment, the people can get to reach a lot of things easily.
GGI is giving to people all around the world this matter.
And also in daily life, everyone's starting to using the Chinese brands in daily life in their home.
So this is also one of the biggest effect of the people's life from the GGI.
It doesn't say this is how you must govern.
It doesn't say your system is wrong.
It doesn't say no reform, no money.
It was not like Western initiative.
The GGI is giving you a chance and giving you the gain. to get a better life, I think.
You can see the tangible results out of this.
The mayor, so CPAC, as we previously discussed, is now in a second phase.
And the focus is shifting to bring CPAC and industrial cooperation.
We can see there are projects like car road, hydropower project or other, like transmission line helped to keep the lights on during the floods a few years ago.
So can you share a story from a local community, maybe about someone whose daily life has changed because of these projects?
I think, frankly speaking, I have visited these projects of the CPAC, like the carrot hydropower projects in Pakistan and the material transmission that we have talked about, and i always believe that the true test of any grand policy, whether we call it a global governance or green development uh, or a strategic, you know, partnership is not what what is written in policy papers.
I think.
It is about what changes in a village or a home or a small shop.
So when we talk about the second phase of cpac especially, and the idea of the green cpac, it may sound technical, But on the ground I think it is very deeply human.
And let me share a story from near the cohort hydropower project area.
A few months ago, I met a schoolteacher named Imran in a village not far from the project site.
Before the hydropower plant became operational, you know, electricity shortage were part of the daily life.
And in summer, there were long hours of load shedding.
And children struggled to study at night.
And small businesses relied on expensive diesel generators.
And today, the situation is visibly different.
And electricity supply is more stable.
And the guy, Mr. Imran, told me that his students now prepare for exams under proper lighting.
And the school has even introduced basic computer classes, because power interruptions are less frequent.
But what struck me most was something else, as he speaks about how the project included measures to protect the surrounding ecosystem, reef restoration, water management and biodiversity monitoring.
And that was very impressive.
As a corporate social responsibility.
The Carrot Hydropower Project has done for the local community.
And the local farmers initially feared that large infrastructure would damage their land or water resources.
But with environment safeguards in place and community engagement programs, many of those fears were addressed.
And some villagers, you know, were even employed during the construction and in ongoing operations.
And for them, I think Green Seabag is not only a slogan.
It is a balance between development and environmental responsibility.
That's very insightful.
So the mayor, beyond the hydropower project that you just mentioned, Are there other examples where you have seen this impact on the ground?
And I think then there is the Matyari Lahore transmission line.
During the devastating floods in 2022, parts of Pakistan's grid were under immense pressure.
And the high voltage transmission line played a crucial role in stabilizing electricity flow from the south to lower centers in Punjab.
And in southern Punjab, I spoke with a woman named Shazia who runs a small tailoring business from her home.
During the past, you know, crisis power cuts were completely shut down.
Her work and you know, early every hour without electricity meant that fewer cloths and fewer others.
You know orders were completed.
So it means that you are getting the less income for the family.
And during the floods, while many systems were strained, she told me that relative stability of electricity in the area allowed her to continue working And it may sound like a small detail in the context of the national disaster management, but for her family it means food on the table during a time of the national emergency.
And that is what the global governance, I think, looks like.
And such kind of projects under the CPAC or, if you talk about the global governance.
They are at the grassroot levels and we are witnessing the multiple benefits that are, you know, gained by the local families in the different parts of the country.
And it is not a summit in a distant capital.
It is a transmission line that keeps a sieving machine running.
And it is a hydropower project that allows a child to study at night.
It is a farmer who sees development happening without losing this land ecological balance.
And I am the personal witness that how the Carrot Hydropower Project have sponsored different education schemes in the local schools for the kids in the area.
And how this Carrot Hydropower project have funded the scholarships for the local students to come into China and to get the higher education and to complete their degrees on the sponsorship.
So these are the tangible benefits that you are already talking about are being personally witnessed under these projects that are going on in Pakistan.
So could you elaborate more about how does the second phase of the CPAC support local industry and create more jobs?
I think when we speak about industrial cooperation in the CPAC, as we talk about the second phase, we are talking about creating value chains inside Pakistan and processing agricultural goods locally instead of exporting raw materials, and building manufacturing capacity instead of relying solely on import.
So, if done properly, I think this means jobs for our youth skills, you know, turning for our technicians and technology transfer, for that is strengthening our economy.
And I think for many Pakistanis, global governance used to feel, you know, distant and the decisions taken in international institutions and the policies shaped far away.
But the projects that are being built in Pakistan like these, make global you know cooperation very intangible and very sustainable, and people can see the power plants and they can see the transmission towers.
They can, you know, they can see new factories arising in special economic zones and that is generating thousands of jobs for the local people.
Although we cannot share all of the stories, but we can witness how the local people are getting the jobs in these projects and the real benefit, what I have witnessed by visiting the various CDPAC projects in Pakistan, is that the local people, they are working with very technologically advanced Chinese engineers and they are shifting their advanced experience, uh to the local you know engineers and to the local working partners.
And i think that is the real benefit that the chinese, they are transferring their skill development towards the pakistani workers as well.
And this is the you know, the real contribution of the chinese system and that is the global governance That takes you in a balanced way, together towards the meaningful reasons.
Yes, from those vivid examples we can tell that cooperation between China and Pakistan are really changing people's daily lives for children, for parents and also for the regions.
Now let's shift gears to discuss the hard reality, the global governance deficit.
Recently, the UN Secretary General warned that the 2026 could bring more chaos and more surprises.
And multilateralism is weakening.
Inequality is growing.
For developing countries, this global governance deficit hurts the most.
So, Oscar.
Turkey sits between Europe and Asia and you see the conflicts in the Middle East, you see tensions in the Black Sea.
So, from your perspective, what does this global governance deficit actually look like, when the big powers can't agree, when trade rules are disrupted,
How does that hurt a country like Turkey?
As you know, Turkey is currently surrounded by zones of active conflict.
When we look at the south, there's a Palestine and Lebanon.
There's active conflict over there.
And there is still no stability in Syria and Iraq.
And right now, U.S. trading Iran.
And when we look at the North, there was the biggest war until in this century, like Ukraine.
So the geopolitical situation in which Turkey finds itself carries significant risks.
So Western states bear the primary responsibility for the conflicts in our region.
Main reason for the instability created in countries like Iraq Syria, Lebanon and Lebanon is that Western powers have turned these regions into conflict zones for their own interests.
So this is true not only for the Middle East, but also for the Black Sea, of course, as you said.
The reason the war in Ukraine continues is the Western warlords' goal of selling weapons and weakening Russia.
Although they have tried to achieve this, they have not been successful, of course, as we see right now.
So far,
However, this situation is greatly affecting the global economy, I think.
A governance defect like occurs when institutions like the united nations or the world trade organization, i think lose their role as referees and major powers such as us, china and russia impose their own agendas, and literally especially.
I'm talking about the us.
Of course, the situation is akin to a traffic intersection without rules, where everyone tries to push through by driving the biggest truck.
Right now, Turkey sits right at the center of this insurrection.
And there are three important things for Turkey about this.
The first one is supply chain disruptions, I think.
You know, Turkey ennui itself as Europe's production hub, but instability in the Suez Channel and for the Black Sea holds the flow of raw materials.
Fright costs rise and Turkey's import bill swells.
And the second one is, I think, the energy costs, of course.
Even though Turkey serves as an energy bridge, you know, there's a Turkish stream.
There's a line from Russia and through Turkey to Europe.
So this reflects directly on citizens as inflation and current account deflecting.
And the third one is the last one is the fight for indirect investment.
I think the capital is timid right now and it becomes difficult to attack long term technology investments to a region caught between wars.
It's North Ukraine and South Middle East.
We can clearly see that this global economic disruption is also giving birth to political and military crisis.
I think.
Unilateral sanctions imposed by Western states on many countries not only for the United States, also the European countries, particularly like Russia, of course are negatively impacting the global economy.
Instability along major energy routes is driving up energy prices.
The rise in energy and commodity prices is further improvising humanity.
So turkey is also affected by this, as it's as an energy dependent country, you know, because we have no energy sources like oil.
The prolongation of the war in Ukraine and the instability in the Middle East are impacting Turkish economy.
So, Oscar, could you elaborate more on how serious is the issue now?
How has the conflicts that you just mentioned affected Turkey's economy?
So, Why are people becoming poorer?
Because the answer is the Western elites put their own interests ahead of the interests of the humanity.
I think
For them.
It's not a problem that people are dying in the Middle East, Africa or Ukraine, all around the world.
Nor is it a concern for them the poverty is increasing of these countries.
But countries like Turkey, Russia, China and Iran are making efforts to stop the wars.
But the Western elites are trying to block this initiative.
This is one of the biggest problems in the world, I think.
The highlights, the necessary for understanding the security across the world, maybe with these countries like China, Russia.
Iran, Turkey and also with the global south.
We all know the world needs a new system, especially in terms of security.
Right now, after maybe when we see the last five years there's a lot of conflicts and thousands of people still dying.
But the United Nations right now, can do anything about it.
But in this new security system, like which created by Russia China Turkey, Iran and also GlobalSat maybe can solve these problems.
Let's take a short break.
Coming back, we will continue our discussion.
Stay with us.
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Welcome back to the chat lounge.
Let's continue our discussion.
The mayor Oscar, just mentioned that The world needs a new system and the global governance deficit is hurting Turkey's economy because some Western countries are putting their own interests ahead of the humanity.
What do you make of his remarks?
And does Pakistan face the similar issues?
For instance when it comes to the climate change, also for Pakistan.
You face water disputes with your neighbors.
Even though everyone is talking about multilateralism cooperation, but when disaster comes, the help is very slow and with limited money as well.
So how does this governance deficit make Pakistan's problem worse?
And what do you make of Oscar's remarks as well?
Yeah, I think Oscar has pointed out very important things as far as the challenges in the global south are concerned.
And I think Pakistan, you know, contributes less than 1% to the global carbon emission.
Yet we are among the countries most, you know, vulnerable to climate change.
The 2022 floods in the country were not just, you know, heavy rains.
They were a national trauma.
And one third of the country was underwater in 2022 just because of the floods.
And millions of the people were displaced.
Crops were destroyed.
And infrastructure was wiped out.
And I think those critical weeks, what many Pakistanis felt was not just the force of nature.
I think it was the slowness of the global response.
And I think this is where the global deficit becomes very visible.
And on papers we have global climate frameworks pledges, loss and damage funds adoption, financing mechanisms.
But when disaster strikes in any country, the disbursements of funds, um it becomes very slow and bureaucratic.
You know, procedures in the international institutions delay the very urgent relief, and commitments made at climate conferences take years to materialize.
Meanwhile, you know, the families are sleeping under open skies who are, you know, disturbed with such kind of the climate disasters.
And I think this gap between promises and the delivery makes our problems worse in three major ways that I would like to mention.
The first is that recovery is delayed.
When reconstruction funds arrive slowly, damaged schools remain closed longer.
And the farmers cannot replant on time.
And small businesses collapse permanently.
And that deepens poverty.
And the poverty alleviation campaigns, they get hard.
And second, debt pressure increases when, you know, immediate climate finance does not arrive.
Countries like Pakistan are forced to borrow more, and sometimes at commercial rates, just to rebuild what was destroyed by a crisis we did not create, and i think uh, that creates a vicious cycle.
And the third one is that the public trust in, in multilateral institutions erodes and ordinary people begin to question whether global governance structure are truly responsive to vulnerable nations or not.
So i think these are the three major factors.
I think the international financial institutions and the donor agencies who make so many pledges about uh, you know, the recovery of the climate disasters, they should have to think about it, and i think this is a dire need of the time, and it is a time of the action.
When you know the international community, the developing countries They are, you know, facing a lot of climate challenges.
And now I think when we talk about water disputes, the issue become even more complex.
Then the mayor.
How is climate change reshaping regional water security in South Asia, particularly for Pakistan?
And what kind of regional cooperation does Pakistan need at the moment?
Pakistan's agriculture.
You know it's a backbone of our economy and it depends heavily on our river systems.
And water security is directly linked to food security and national stability as well.
And I think the climate change is accelerating the glacier melt and altering monsoon patterns and intensifying both droughts and the floods.
And I think in such scenarios, regional cooperation becomes essential.
It should not be politicized as by one of our neighbors like India is doing that.
And I think this is where China's emphasis on multilateralism and cooperative governance become very relevant.
And I think China consistently advocates for South-South cooperation, infrastructure resilience and the development-oriented action.
And I think, from Pakistan's perspective, and if you talk about the development, I think that this approach aligns with our need of the practical solution.
And I think for the flood infrastructure and the renewable energy projects or the early warning systems and the climate resilience agriculture, such kind of a cooperation is very vital and, I think, very important at this need of the time.
You talk about that under CPAC, resolving green framework, there is a greater focus on hydropower, solar systems and the wind energy.
And I think renewable energy reduces our dependence on imported fossils, fossil fuels, while also addressing emissions.
And that is both an economic and environmental gain.
And I think more importantly, China's call for multilateralism often stresses respect for sovereignty and non-interference.
And for developing countries, that language matters.
It suggests that partnerships are rather than perceptions.
And however multilateralism I think must be, you can say, measured by outcome, not by the rhetoric.
And the real test is whether global governance mechanism can deliver a timely climate finance strategy.
Technology transfer and the capacity building.
And I think, I think from the Pakistan's standpoint, We need three things urgently.
If I if I can mention one, is that the faster and the fear climate finance, especially operationalizing loss and damage funds without excessive a procedural delays.
Second is regional water cooperation mechanism and that are insulated from political tensions and focused on technical solutions.
And the third one is infrastructural partnerships.
That prioritizes resilience dams, drainage systems, flood barriers and the small grids.
I think if China's vision of cooperative governance can help strengthen these pillars through financing engineering, expertise and diplomatic engagement, then it can, I think, contribute positively to this complex environment.
But let me also be very clear that Pakistan does not see this as a zero-sum equation between East and West.
The climate change does not recognize geopolitical blocs.
We need cooperation from all major powers like China is already doing that.
But I think the United States, the Europeans, the Gulf countries, multilateral banks, international financial institutions, they should come forward and they should fulfill their responsibilities, their commitments and their pledges that they have made in the past.
And the scale of the crisis demands, I think, the collective action.
And I think the governance deficit makes our problems worse, because climate disasters move very fast, while global systems move slowly.
So bridging the gap, I think, is the central challenge of our time right now.
That's a very good point.
You know, when it comes to climate change issues, I think that's one of the few topics that can bring East and West countries together to tackle these issues as humans.
So here's another side of the story.
The global south is not just about being victim of this broken system.
It's becoming a driver of change, and the global governance initiative is a response to that demand for a more inclusive world, even though it's not easy.
So oscar, to be honest, turkey's neighborhood is tough, as you have also briefly mentioned.
There are conflicts, you have power politics.
You also have old rivalries.
So, in this kind of environment, how realistic is China's vision of this global governance initiative?
A vision based on sovereign equality, on multilateralism, on people-centered approach.
So is it what the region wants?
Actually, for the first question, the answer is really simple.
The vision launched by China under the leadership of Xi Jinping offers a significant opportunity for humanity.
So all world needs to understand this situation.
Initiatives such as Belt and Road and GGI are opening an important path as we build a new world.
We are talking about the new system right today.
Everyone, including the western elites, acknowledge that the unipolar world has collapsed and we are transitioning into a multipolar world order.
But the question is how will we ensure stability while establishing this new order?
This is the the most important question for the future.
I think china's vision in this matter at this point learns from the mistakes of the past.
Right now there's still wars, right.
So humanity needs a collective development and actuality for the chinese perspective and i and i agree i agree with this, and we have all seen this the destruction brought upon mankind by a unipolar and hegemonic order.
Now We are entering an era where humanity is rising again, I think.
But we must be courageous while establishing this new system.
It's not easy, but we have a chance.
We have opportunities about this.
Transitioning to a multipolar world order is painful as it is positive, I think, also.
So wherever there is a war and conflicts, there is also resistance and also chance.
So on this matter, I would like to give an example from Chinese great leader Mao Zedong.
Chairman Mao once said, there is a great chaos under Dome.
The situation is excellent.
So when we're seeing the conflicts, when we're seeing the war, people are fearing about this, right?
But Chairman Mao said there is a great chaos under the dome and the situation is excellent.
Meaning that every crisis is actually a great opportunity.
Wars should not intimidate humanity, I think.
Yes, we are starving to build a world without conflict.
And there remains our ultimate goal, right?
But we encounter significant challenges. upscales along the way.
So to overcome these hurdles, we must unite under a common interest, I think.
And this is exactly why we must establish and support initiatives like the Global Governance Initiative and Belt and Road.
So right now, the world stands before a monumental opportunity, I think.
With this vision, I believe that the humanity will establish a new and just order the period ahead, because always saying, and also Western elites also saying this, the new order right now is rising, and also rising from the global south, rising from Asia.
Of course, the Western countries trying to stop it, but I think it's different that they cannot.
Also, they I agree with this.
They right now are starting to think about what part of this new system we have.
So maybe there is a big conflict and a march over the world.
But as I said, if there is a war, if there is a conflict, also there is opportunity.
Zemir, here's another question to you.
So the global system we live in today was largely shaped 80 years ago.
Do you believe we're now witnessing the early stage of a new global governance era?
And if so, what role do you expect the global south play in shaping the rules this time?
I think all of the debate right now is that the previous systems that were developed by the Western powers.
They have really collapsed.
As we are witnessing the geopolitical tensions and other competitions, the tariffs, the competitions between the diplomatic influence and the trade protectionism, isolationist approaches are on the rise.
I think such kind of collaboration that is pushed by China, I think is in need of the time.
I think we should need to develop such kind of a mechanism that is providing equal and the fair platform, the balanced platform, every developing country where their voices can be heard, where their opinions, where their ideologies are being respected.
I think this is a time where the geopolitics is changing very rapidly.
And if you respect the different ideologies, if you respect the different opinions, then we can move forward in a balanced way, by respecting each other globally, for getting the meaningful and the beneficial results for our coming generations.
If we will not be agreeing on a fair mechanism of the globally, then definitely our coming generations will be, you know affecting, they will be disturbed and they will be cursing us that what kind of a world that we have, you know, left for them.
So i think this is a time where the westerns or the americans or the other countries who are, you know, trying to dominate the international arena or the landscape, I think we should make them feel that this is the world that is equally a co-existent place for every kind of ideology.
So I think a system, such kind of a system, must be developed that can ensure the sovereignty, the dignity and the territorial respect for every single nation.
So here's the question for all of our panelists.
We have covered a lot, from trade, climate to geopolitics.
Now i want to discuss something simple in one sentence.
What do you think is the biggest value or promise of china's global governance initiative for ordinary people in the global south?
Yeah, of course it's really hard to say in one sentence, but maybe i can try so.
Uh, The greatest promise of China's global GGI for the global south and ordinary people is to offer an alternative and sovereignty respecting path to development.
I can say this if you want one sentence.
Alternative and sovereignty respecting path to development.
How about you, Zamir?
I think the biggest promise of China's global governance initiative for ordinary people and countries in the global south is a commitment to a more inclusive, development focused international system where emerging nations have a real wise, practical infrastructure, support and equitable access to growth opportunities, rather than being passive rule takers in a system designed by others.
And lastly, We know in the coming days lawmakers will gather here in Beijing for the two sessions and they're debating and drafting China's development path for the next five years.
If you had one message to send back to them from Turkey, from Pakistan, what would you want them to keep in mind when they talk about the global governance?
So for the global governance from the message from Turkey, I don't know.
Of course, the Chinese lawmakers know their jobs.
So I cannot say anything about them.
Of course, they got a lot of experiences.
And this tool session is really important for them and also for us.
But I can say to them We definitely going to create a new system, especially in terms of security and economy.
And of course, they will talk about security and economy in these two sessions.
So our message, my message at least, to the lawmakers who will attend the two sessions we believe in you and we believe in ourselves.
We believe in each other and we're going to create a new world system.
Zemir, how about you?
What kind of message would you like to give to Chinese lawmakers who are attending sessions?
Yes, I think I have very good memories of attending and covering the China's two sessions.
I think, as a Pakistani journalist, the message to Chinese lawmakers during the 2026 two sessions, I think, would be deeply positive, forward-looking and rooted in shared destiny.
I think first we extend our appreciation from Pakistan and over the past decade cooperation between Pakistan and China, particularly under CPAC, has transformed infrastructure, energy security and connectivity in Pakistan.
So I think the second is that, as China charts its next phase of modernization and we hope that Pakistan remains a priority partner in innovation, green development and industrial cooperation and the cpac 20, with its focus on technology transfer, renewable energy, agricultural modernization and digital connectivity.
That is very important, what i have witnessed in china, i think.
The third one is that we encourage chinese lawmakers to continue supporting greater market access for pakistani agricultural and textile exports.
Joint research Well, today we have learned that the GGI is more than a diplomatic term.
It's a promise to put people at the center and to deliver tangible results when it comes to global governance, especially for the global south countries.
With voices from Turkey and Pakistan, we're reminded that global governance is not abstract.
It's about real lives, real choices, and shared futures.
Thank you all for joining us today.
We have Oskar Ottenbus, the chief of the foreign news service at Aidenlink in Turkey, Mohamed Zamir Asadi, director at the China desk of Lord Media Network in Pakistan.
I'm Xu Yawen.
This is Chat Lunch.
Thank you so much for listening.
Bye for now.
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