On October 24, Dr. Omar Ahmad Munif Razzaz—42nd Prime Minister of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School—delivered a public lecture at Renmin University of China (RUC) titled “Challenges and Trends in Global Governance in the Digital Age.” He then engaged in wide-ranging dialogue with Chinese scholars, educators, and students.

Attendees included Zhang Donggang, secretary of the CPC Committee at RUC; Susan Razzaz, labor economist at the World Bank; and Hussam Al Husseini, Jordan’s ambassador to China. More than 100 faculty and students participated. Zheng Shuiquan, deputy secretary of the RUC CPC Committee, presided.

In his welcoming remarks, Zhang Donggang noted that since the establishment of their strategic partnership in 2015, China and Jordan have deepened cooperation in the political, economic, and cultural spheres, serving as a model of friendly coexistence between countries with different cultures and systems. He added that, amid profound global shifts, the global governance system faces significant challenges. Echoing President Xi Jinping’s initiatives, he emphasized that the international community should advance global governance based on the principles of consultation, contribution, and shared benefits. Zhang expressed RUC’s readiness to work with Dr. Razzaz and other partners to cultivate future leaders, build knowledge platforms, and promote civilizational dialogue, thereby contributing stability and positive momentum to global development and governance.

Ambassador Hussam Al Husseini remarked that this year marks the 48th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Jordan and China and the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership. He described Jordan, located at the heart of the Middle East, as a vital link for world trade, a crossroads of civilizations, and a voice for the "Global South." He noted that Jordan is an active advocate for international cooperation and plays a significant role in China’s "Belt and Road" initiative. He expressed hope that both nations would further consolidate consensus and expand cooperation to contribute wisdom to the construction of a new international governance system.

During the ceremony, Zhang Donggang presented Dr. Omar Razzaz with a letter of appointment as an Adjunct Professor.

                                                 (Hosted by Zheng Shuiquan)

Ji Changhua, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the School of Public Administration and Policy (SPAP) at RUC, introduced Dr. Razzaz. Dr. Omar Razzaz is a distinguished statesman and a scholar deeply engaged in public governance research and practice. Currently a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, his research focuses on global political governance and administrative reform. He served as the Prime Minister of Jordan from 2018 to 2020 and has held positions including Ford Professor of International Development and Regional Planning at MIT, Jordan’s Minister of Education, and various leadership roles at the World Bank.

In his keynote speech, Dr. Razzaz stated that Jordan plays a crucial role in global governance, committed to promoting prosperity through mutual learning among civilizations and youth development. He argued that no single nation can handle the complexities of current international governance alone; instead, countries must cooperate with a macro-vision to achieve a long-term landscape of mutual benefit. He called for both top-down and bottom-up reforms: global organizations like the UN must reshape their structures, while nations and regional organizations must empower youth to take responsibility in global affairs. Speaking as both a Jordanian and a "global citizen," he expressed gratitude for China’s role in global governance and praised President Xi Jinping’s initiatives as providing valuable opportunities for building a new global governance architecture rooted in fairness and justice.

A roundtable moderated by Liu Peng, deputy secretary of SPAP’s CPC Committee, featured Dr. Razzaz, Susan Razzaz, Wei Nanzhi (Deputy Director-General of the Bureau of International Cooperation, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences), Yang Guangbin (Dean of the School of International Studies, RUC), and Zhu Xufeng (Dean of the School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University). Discussion topics included digital-age governance frameworks, frontier-technology regulation, data governance, and education equity.

Dr. Razzaz highlighted power imbalances in global governance, noting that some multinational monopolies lack ethical standards in data rights and usage, posing risks of abuse and privacy breaches. He highly commended President Xi’s vision of a "Community with a Shared Future for Mankind," suggesting it could help rectify this situation, and called for reforms based on sovereign equality and inclusive participation.

Susan Razzaz argued that there is no "one-size-fits-all" rule in global governance. She emphasized identifying common challenges facing humanity—such as global data governance—while respecting the unique core issues and development models of different nations.

Professor Wei Nanzhi stressed the need to respect development differences and historical cultures while pursuing equality in the digital age. She called for global cooperation to support women in developing countries, ensuring they benefit from the digital dividend through improved education and technical support.

Professor Yang Guangbin pointed out that while digital technology brings welfare, it also poses deep, comprehensive challenges. He noted that decentralized, localized systems face greater shocks in the digital era, a subject that requires collective adaptation.

Professor Zhu Xufeng suggested that while nations should follow global norms on common issues like cross-border data flow and cybersecurity, differentiated rules and localized governance strategies should be allowed in areas like digital education and smart cities to accommodate different development stages.

During the Q&A session, faculty and students engaged actively, asking questions about efficiency versus fairness in digital development, fiscal sustainability in national governance, and the impact of the technological revolution on global governance.

In his concluding remarks, Yan Jinming, Dean of SPAP, RUC, stated that Dr. Razzaz provided a profound analysis of the changes and challenges brought by the digital age, offering an "intellectual feast" for all attendees. He affirmed that the School of Public Administration will use this event as an opportunity to deepen international academic cooperation and contribute Chinese wisdom and solutions to building an open, just, inclusive, and resilient global digital governance system.