China Economic and Social Forum in Hangzhou Calls for Multilateral Coordination

The 2026 China Economic and Social Forum convened on September 15 in Hangzhou, bringing together 85 domestic and foreign participants to discuss global governance reform. Wang Dongfeng, Vice-Chairman and Secretary-General of the CPPCC National Committee and Chairman of the China Economic and Social Council, delivered the keynote address. Wang highlighted Chinese leadership proposals—including the Global Development, Security, and Civilization Initiatives—as key public goods, urging adherence to multilateralism, shared governance, and international dialogue amid cross-border challenges.

As geopolitical fragmentation places increasing strain on established multilateral institutions, Beijing continues to utilize state-affiliated consultative councils and Track II platforms to project its vision for international governance. By framing its foreign policy initiatives as collective public goods and convening cross-sector dialogues, China seeks to cultivate consensus around alternatives to Western-led governance frameworks.

The 2026 China Economic and Social Forum convened on September 15 in Hangzhou, the provincial capital of Zhejiang, bringing together 85 domestic and international guests to exchange views on global governance reform, according to official reports from Xinhua and China News Service. The gathering centered on the theme of improving the global governance system and advancing toward a community with a shared future for mankind. Wang Dongfeng, Vice-Chairman and Secretary-General of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Chairman of the China Economic and Social Council, attended the opening and delivered a keynote address. In his speech, Wang framed President Xi Jinping's global governance concepts as a major international public good offered by China, serving alongside the previously launched Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative. According to Wang, these interconnected frameworks offer strategic support for building a shared global future. Wang called on participants to enhance exchanges concerning state governance, uphold the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, and actively practice what Beijing terms "genuine multilateralism." He stated that pooling wisdom and building consensus are essential to addressing cross-border risks, adding that China remains willing to join hands with other countries to confront shared challenges. Dispatches from China News Service noted that Chinese and foreign participants echoed the need to reinforce multilateral coordination in the face of international turbulence. While initial releases provided limited detail on the specific addresses delivered by overseas attendees, the convention served as a vehicle for the China Economic and Social Council to conduct international dialogue and project Beijing's core foreign policy tenets.