On Dec. 4, 2014, Thierry de Montbrial, President of French Institute of International Relations, attended the "North Pavilion Dialogue" annual meeting at the invitation of the Institute of International & Strategic Studies (IISS), Peking University (PKU), and gave a lecture entitled "the Significance of the Concept of Global Governance" at the School of International Studies (SIS), PKU. Prof. Wang Jisi, President of IISS, PKU, moderated the lecture.

Mr. Montbrial analyzed the core feature of the concept of "global governance" which is "complexity" from the philosophical perspective. He pointed out that technological revolution has generated globalization and huge change to the world for the past few years. As a result of globalization, local fortuitous event of small probability can even cause global shocks. Such cases are very common. He proved his viewpoint from economic and political perspectives with the examples of the financial crisis in 2008 and the "Arab Spring". He then elaborated how the "complexity" is reflected in global governance. He believed that just as the unpredictability of an earthquake, the timing of key events in international politics can not be predicted. Therefore, the complexity of different cross-linked levels of the world must be taken into account in international strategic studies. Effective crisis joint-control mechanisms should be adopted at the beginning of a local crisis to curb its development, otherwise irreversible consequences would be produced when the crisis exceeds a certain threshold.

At the end of his lecture, Mr. Montbrial hoped that the young students would find a balance between international cooperation and nationalism through their own efforts. He also urged young students to assume the responsibility and attach much importance to this trend that has become a reality and will profoundly affect the future of mankind.

After the lecture, Mr. Montbrial had interaction with students. They exchange opinions on issues such as the contradiction between sovereign states and interdependence of different countries, France's contribution to global governance, and the prerequisite for global governance etc.

At the end of the activity, Prof. Wang Jisi made a summary. He said that the ideas that Mr. Montbrial and other guests of the "North Pavilion Dialogue" had contributed during the series of activities under the dialogue provided different perspectives for China. On the other hand, whether China's experience of political history will make a contribution to the future of mankind, just as Mr. Montbrial stated, is an issue yet to be studied.