Strengthening people-to-people diplomacy is essential for countries to jointly address global challenges. 

I have just returned from another inspiring journey through China, which has compelled me to reflect on today’s complex international landscape and the need to strengthen people-to-people diplomacy as a key tool to address the global common challenges that lie ahead.  

The opportunity to witness first-hand the country’s economic, technological, and social development – as well as its willingness to open up and collaborate with the rest of the world – has prompted me to have a realistic diagnosis of future challenges and the design of effective strategies to improve the lives of our citizens. 

Jacobo García, president of Global Youth Leadership Forum, presenting a speech at China Today • Macao Salon in Hengqin, Guangdong Province on July 27, 2025. 

A World in Transition 

We are living through a moment of profound redefinition of the framework that has shaped the world order of the past eight decades. The economic, political, cultural, and social integration that once defined globalization is giving way to a systematic review of this framework, accompanied by the introduction of measures aimed at safeguarding national capabilities. This shift is taking place in parallel with growing tensions on multiple fronts – commercial, diplomatic, technological, and military – signaling a risky trend towards de-globalization.   

Simultaneously, the exponential acceleration of a technological revolution – set to reshape the world at an unprecedented speed – will make national challenges more complex and exacerbate inequality, both within and among countries. Strengthening social cohesion – now under serious threat – must be a priority alongside economic growth for any nation seeking to foster healthy coexistence among its citizens.   

This process will also bring forth new global challenges, in addition to those we already face – climate change, economic depression, poverty reduction, peacebuilding, and the digital revolution. These challenges are inherently global in nature, meaning that all nations will be affected and that coordinated, intelligent responses will be essential to securing a future of peace, freedom, prosperity, and sustainability. 

Learning from History 

In this context, I am reminded of the historical conditions that gave rise to the European Union: a devastated, post-war Europe determined to create a network of economic and commercial interdependence that would make new large-scale armed conflicts unthinkable. This framework became the foundation for one of the greatest achievements in modern history: sustained peace, stability, freedom, and prosperity. 

Internationally, I see a parallel in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s proposal to build a community with a shared future for humanity, holding in high regard the role of people-to-people diplomacy, as indicated by his work, the recently released fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. 

Diplomacy Has a Human Face 

In today’s uncertain world, collaboration and shared visions are indispensable for tackling shared challenges and achieving successful outcomes. This imperative does not mean ignoring the realities of competition or the inevitability of disagreements between global actors. Rather it requires the capacity to forge consensus on fundamental issues, enabling their resolution in a constructive and effective manner. 

Through my multiple visits to China, I have not only witnessed its remarkable progress, captivating beauty, growing openness, and abundant opportunities, but have also been profoundly impressed by the genuine hospitality and commitment of its people in sharing their country. This welcoming spirit aligns perfectly with the concept of people-to-people diplomacy – an essential approach in an era when polarization and conflict dominate the global agenda.  

China’s experience over the past half-century proves that accurately diagnosing challenges, and executing solutions with resolve, can unlock unprecedented development. Having achieved this in less than five decades, China now calls for building a community with a shared future for humanity, underscoring the need for people-to-people diplomacy as one of its central pillars. As Xi pointed out in his book, bonds of friendship between peoples serve as the foundation of stable and sustained international relations, provide inexhaustible energy for promoting world peace and development, and constitute a fundamental prerequisite for win-win cooperation.  

Building a Shared Future 

This concept extends beyond sector-specific cooperation to encompass a rethinking of how we perceive the world and manage international relations. Traveling through China – whether exploring the historical grandeur of Beijing, or experiencing the economic dynamism of the Guangdong-Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, in particular the technological innovation of Shenzhen and the openness of Guangzhou – invites us to reflect on the challenges ahead and the importance of working alongside the Chinese people to promote development and secure future prosperity for the whole world.  

Educational, commercial, technological, and cultural exchanges serve as vital navigational tools​​ in an increasingly complex global landscape. Despite headwinds against multilateralism, the ​​multidimensional enrichment​​ fostered by decades of free exchanges, spanning cultural, economic, scientific, and social spheres, remains indispensable to human progress. 

​​Higher education​​, in particular, stands as a linchpin for future cooperation. As talent emerges as the ​​defining factor of tomorrow’s economy​​, international exchange programs among universities in different countries offer unparalleled pathways to forge common ground, cultivate mutual understanding, and build the ​​cross-cultural competencies​​ essential for shared prosperity. 

The crystallization of all these trends was something we were able to analyze during the final stop of our trip.  

Peking University hosted the significant “World Youth Conference for Peace,” an internationally important event, during which prominent Chinese figures, together with youth leaders from around the world, addressed key challenges facing the world in the coming years. Delegations representing Latin America, the United States, Africa, Asia, and Europe (which I had the honor of leading), shared perspectives, deepened mutual understanding, exchanged insights, and committed to working towards building a more integrated and prosperous world that offers opportunities for all people around the world. 

Today, more than ever, we must define the world we want – recognizing that people-to-people diplomacy is essential in ensuring the shared well-being and collaboration of our countries.  

We have a future full of opportunities. It is our duty to seize and maximize them, advancing the development and prosperity of the whole world.  

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Dr. Jacobo Pombo García is president of Global Youth Leadership Forum.