China has pitched itself as a champion of rule-making for new frontiers, including AI and outer space, calling for a “more just and equitable” world order as humanity navigates “dangerous waters”.

In a policy document released on Wednesday, Beijing said it would continue to uphold the “central” role of the United Nations in the global governance of those emerging sectors.

The document, a white paper called “More Just and Equitable Global Governance: China’s Principles, Proposals and Actions”, said China saw no need to “rebuild” or “replace” the existing international system but supported changes “more compatible and aligned” with realities today.

Unveiling the white paper in Beijing, China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, warned that the international system established after World War II had been disrupted by multiple crises, leaving global governance at a “critical crossroads”.

“As the world enters a new period of turbulence and transformation, we need to reinvigorate multilateralism, uphold rules and the rule of law and improve the effectiveness of governance more than ever,” he said, stressing the need to address the “shortcomings and deficits” in existing frameworks.

In the white paper, China said “growing” challenges in the world were crying for “more effective governance”.

“The ship of human civilisation has entered dangerous waters with hidden reefs and violent storms,” the paper said.