On November 6, 2025, Prof. Wang Dong (Professor of the School of International Studies, Peking University; Executive Director of iGCU) and Ms. Tang Jing (Doctoral Candidate, Class of 2023, China Foreign Affairs University) published a peer-reviewed paper in the Pacific Journal. Entitled “First-mover Advantage: Institutional Power in Global Commons Governance and the Chinese Solution,” the article’s core analysis examines the current challenges in global commons governance, the power dynamics among major powers, and the solutions proposed by China.
The article highlights that the global commons encompass areas beyond national sovereignty, such as the high seas, polar regions, outer space, and cyberspace. Their governance faces four significant challenges: ambiguous definitions, technological divides, divergent interests, and a lack of consensus. These challenges create opportunities for major powers to exert their institutional powers.
Research indicates that nations in the Western hemisphere like the U.S. and countries in Europe are competing for institutional power through four primary pathways: vying for “definitional authority” by obscuring and generalizing concepts; building “walled gardens” through technological monopolies; establishing networks of vested interests to secure “relational dominance”; and contesting rule-making authority to construct an international order favorable to themselves.
In contrast, the article proposes that China should actively participate in global commons governance by building communities of shared understanding, institutions, and responsibility to promote a more equitable and just global commons governance order. This approach emphasizes jointly discussing governance issues based on the “shared values of all humanity,” co-constructing governance mechanisms around the “common concerns of humankind,” and sharing public domain resources for the “common development of all humanity.”
This research offers a significant academic perspective for understanding the complex dynamics of current global public domain governance and provides valuable insights for advancing reforms in the global governance system.
Full article available at:
https://kns.cnki.net/kcms2/article/abstract?v=BbvBZ4vy5aSJtwcUup7ePNsTApbO6o_0VrfYKmvgt5P4el-1fYpTpQiZCh1q-h8oNgs3Z8vjyOPmpJfueVRGtBQwiSSerSaxYU5lzYpmYGZiLeL0Y_f6eJHEvRVF_nkhgYs9RLSd4vZzojjnf5uivbZkqJe-PoFW&uniplatform=NZKPT
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding, Peking University.
Compiled by Song Xiao
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