The concept of the global south
The “Global South”[1] is a concept that is constantly evolving and evolving, with multiple dimensions, including geographical, political, economic, value, and ideological. It has evolved from a purely geo-economic “South” to a global force with political, economic, and identity awareness and the ability to act in international affairs. From an economic geography perspective, countries with a high level of economic and social development are concentrated mainly in the northern hemisphere, while developing countries are located more in the southern hemisphere and in the southern hemisphere. This North-South divide roughly corresponds to the famous “Brandt Line”[2]. According to this view, the “South” mainly includes developing countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, and a large part of Asia; a collection of emerging markets and developing countries that collectively form the global South. From the perspective of international political economy, the Global South continues the historical tradition of anti-colonial, anti-imperialist and anti-domination struggles and is often seen as an extension of the “Third World” and the Non-Aligned Movement. This movement has gradually become an international force that cannot be ignored in contemporary world politics. After the end of the Cold War, the adoption of the “Challenges of the South” report by the United Nations General Assembly in 1991 (which is considered a symbolic event) was a turning point in this process. In this report, the “South Commission” emphasized the need for joint cooperation between the countries of the South at the global level, and since then, the term “Global South” has gradually replaced the previous term “Third World”. The emergence of this concept, on the one hand, indicates that the distribution of developing countries has become global in nature and the sustainable development agenda has become part of global politics, and on the other hand, it shows that the countries of the South are forming an emerging global force that can express their concerns in the global governance system and take action to fulfill their demands. From the perspective of “identity construction”, the Global South also carries certain values and identity awareness. The formation of this identity is based on the common interests and demands of the countries of the South, on the one hand, and on the other hand, in interaction and confrontation with the countries of the North. The growth of the global influence of the South is usually described as the increase in the influence of the Global South and is sometimes referred to in Western literature as the “emergence of the others”[3]. It is worth noting that, unlike terms such as the Third World, “peripheral world” or “underdeveloped regions” that have a value and hierarchical load, the term Global South has a more neutral and objective expression. From China’s perspective, the term reflects an understanding that North-South issues and poverty are global challenges that can only be addressed through joint efforts on a global scale.
The Global South in the Process of Redistribution of Power
The rising tide in the South has taken on a new face. The global South has become a key force in changing the international order and a source of hope for serious changes in international politics. The collective rise of the global South has profoundly changed the world’s economic landscape. In terms of economic output, the share of emerging and developing economies will increase to 58.9 percent in 2023, 17.8 percentage points higher than that of developed economies, and will surpass them overall. In terms of growth rate, from 2000 to 2023, the average economic growth rate of emerging and developing economies was 5.2 percent, 3.3 percentage points higher than the average growth rate of developed economies. The share of countries in the global South in global economic growth has increased from less than 40 percent in the 1980s to more than 80 percent today, becoming the main driver of global economic growth.
In terms of development potential, the Global South is clearly catching up in the new wave of technological and industrial revolutions, such as artificial intelligence and green technology. Some countries in the Global South, such as China, are already at the forefront and have even taken the lead in areas such as 5G Internet and renewable energy. The era when developed countries dominated the technological revolution is over, and the Global South has become the economic cluster with the greatest development potential. Over the past 30 years, the share of developing economies in world trade has increased from 10% to 26%, and this share is expected to increase to 32% by 2032.
The countries of the Global South are becoming a major force in promoting regional integration and economic globalization. As their economies emerge, the countries of the Global South are becoming more active and independent on the world political stage. The countries of the Global South share a common history, a connected destiny, and a dependent future. In the early 1950s and 1960s, developing countries focused on strengthening solidarity and cooperation and pursuing independence, which led to the emergence of organizations such as the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77. In the early 1990s, with the end of the Cold War and the complete collapse of the bipolar structure, the world accelerated towards multipolarity. The political awakening of the countries of the Global South for independence and self-reliance has been increasing. As the world enters a new era of turmoil and change, the countries of the Global South are increasingly expressing their will, exploration, and voice on issues such as the path of modernization, international order, and global governance. These countries are increasingly demanding greater representation and voice in international affairs, which is accelerating the multipolarization of the world and the democratization of international relations. On the other hand, multilateral cooperation mechanisms among the countries of the Global South are constantly being strengthened. International and regional organizations such as ASEAN, the African Union, the League of Arab States, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia have become increasingly active. In particular, Africa, where the countries of the Global South are most concentrated, has seen the African Union invited to become full members of the G20, which further enhances the status of the countries of the Global South and their voice on global issues. The BRICS cooperation mechanism has also become one of the most important channels for strategic communication among the countries of the Global South. The BRICS Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg marked a historic development and was a major turning point in solidarity and cooperation among the countries of the Global South. 2024 was an important year for solidarity and cooperation in the Global South. The China-Arab States Cooperation Forum celebrated its 20th anniversary, the China-Caribbean Forum achieved 10 years of success, the China-Africa Cooperation Summit was successfully held in Beijing, and the first “Greater BRICS” summit was successfully held in Russia. These major events and achievements have brought together more “Southern forces”.
Against the backdrop of this era of profound global change, the Global South is strengthening solidarity and cooperation, playing an increasing role in maintaining world peace, jointly pursuing development and promoting mutual learning among civilizations, building common security and achieving lasting peace. Most countries in the Global South have experienced the hardships of invasion, colonization and plunder, and understand the difficult nature of peace and the value of independence and self-reliance. They are a stabilizing force for peace. The Global South firmly supports the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the central role of the UN in the international system. These countries support each other on issues related to their core interests, strengthen coordination on major international and regional issues, advocate the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and consultation, and resolutely safeguard peace and security, and become an important force for dialogue and peace. In November 2023, the BRICS leaders held a special video summit on the Palestine-Israel issue to coordinate their positions and take action on the Palestine-Israel issue. Also, the six-point consensus jointly issued by China and Brazil on promoting a political solution to the Ukraine crisis has received positive responses from more than 110 countries.
China’s global development initiatives have mobilized nearly $20 billion in development funds and implemented more than 1,100 projects. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the BRICS New Development Bank, established by China and other countries of the Global South, have set a precedent for developing countries to establish multilateral financial institutions, injecting new vitality into improving global financial governance and promoting world economic development. The Global South, with its diverse cultural traditions and distinctive social systems, is a vital source of vitality and creativity in the international community and a driving force for mutual learning among civilizations. These countries emphasize the importance of cultural diversity, oppose ideological demarcation and bloc confrontation, support countries in exploring development paths based on their national conditions, respect the social systems chosen by their people, and advocate strengthening exchanges and mutual learning in governance, deepening exchanges in education, science and technology, culture, local communities and youth, to enhance people-to-people ties. In March 2024, at the 13th China-Africa Think Tank Forum held in Tanzania, scholars from 50 Chinese and African countries jointly issued the “Dar al-Salaam China-Africa Consensus”, putting forward solutions and proposals to address major global issues and challenges. This consensus represents a significant achievement in deepening exchanges between China and Africa on development concepts, and is the first international consensus born in the South rather than imposed by the North, expressing the common aspirations of the global South.
China’s proposal to the UN General Assembly to designate an International Day for Dialogue of Civilizations has injected positive energy into enhancing understanding and trust, strengthening ties between peoples, and fostering unity and cooperation. In November 2024, China took the lead in establishing the Alliance for Cooperation of Think Tanks of the Global South, creating a new platform for promoting cultural exchanges and mutual learning and exchanging views on governance. This brings together the collective power of the Global South. Building on the historical expansion of BRICS, China supported the launch of the BRICS Greater Cooperation in 2024, and invites more BRICS partner countries to use their wisdom and resources to build a major channel for solidarity and cooperation in the Global South, and use the BRICS Greater Cooperation to guide greater unity in the Global South. From the 70th Anniversary Conference on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence to the 10th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Arab States Cooperation, and from the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to the 16th BRICS Summit, China has proposed a series of Chinese measures and solutions, including eight initiatives to support cooperation in the Global South, ten China-Africa cooperative actions to promote modernization, and eight practical measures to support high-quality development of BRICS cooperation. These initiatives, covering key areas such as trade and investment, cooperation in industrial chains, and green development, demonstrate China’s determination to promote the development and revitalization of the Global South and inject strong impetus into its prosperity and revitalization. Based on the legitimate concerns of developing countries, China has promoted the adoption of a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly to strengthen international cooperation in artificial intelligence capacity-building, proposed the “Comprehensive AI Capacity-Building Plan”, and jointly launched the “Open Science Initiative for International Cooperation” with countries in the Global South. China has also facilitated the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku to achieve new collective quantitative targets for climate finance, effectively safeguarding global climate justice and the rights and interests of developing countries.
In 2023, the BRICS cooperation mechanism invited Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to join. The G20 invited the African Union to become a full member. These developments show that the Global South is becoming more active and visible on the global political stage. Finally, the resurgence of great power geopolitical competition reinforces the need for a collective voice from the Global South. After the Russia-Ukraine conflict, most Global South countries resisted NATO’s calls for their participation in sanctions against Russia and the provision of weapons to Ukraine. Instead, they called on the international community to take action to promote a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, noting its impact on international food and energy security. In the face of new protectionism in trade and investment, such as that put forward by the United States and Europe in the wake of the pandemic under the slogan of “supply chain security” and promoting “close exchange” and “friendly exchange”, the countries of the Global South oppose the isolation and disruption of the global economy, actively support regional economic cooperation and the openness of the world economic system, and have become an emerging force in supporting economic globalization. The countries of the Global South are unwilling to be victims in the competition of great powers, and prefer to support the international order and multilateral cooperation embodied by the United Nations.
Common interests of the Global South
Seeking a safe environment both internally and externally
Currently, the global security landscape is undergoing profound transformation. Geopolitical competition and the impact of emerging technological revolutions are intensifying, and the politicization and securitization of technology, finance, and trade have become increasingly prevalent. The security risks facing countries in the Global South are increasing, and the security environment for their sustainable development and stability has deteriorated. According to the 2023 Global Terrorism Index by the Institute for Economics and Peace[4], the world’s most dangerous terrorist organizations are all located in countries in the Global South, posing a serious threat to local political stability and hindering economic and social development. In addition, terrorist activities can have spillover effects. For example, the influx of refugees into Niger, influenced by the situations in Libya and Mali and the terrorist activities of the extremist group Boko Haram, has increased social pressure in Niger. Second, internal conflicts are being exacerbated by external intervention. Since 2020, coups have occurred in Mali, Guinea, Myanmar, Burkina Faso, Niger, and other countries. Behind these phenomena lie both internal conflicts resulting from the unstable and immature political systems of some countries in the global south and the negative consequences of long-term foreign interference in regional affairs. This vicious cycle has had a profound negative impact on the economic, social and political stability of these countries. On the other hand, the addition of new issues such as how to maintain cybersecurity and information security also creates new challenges for these countries. Developing countries lack the necessary capacity to maintain their cybersecurity. Cyberspace has become a key tool for some countries to implement their approaches and color revolutions around the world and engage in continuous espionage and theft, which is a serious threat to social stability in developing countries.
Searching for resources for development
Development issues in the Global South have always been the focus of international attention. While significant progress has been made, the region still faces a complex set of challenges. First, poverty and social inequality are the roots of social unrest in the Global South. According to the 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index, 1.2 billion people in 111 developing countries live in extreme multidimensional poverty, half of whom are children under the age of 18. At the same time, the richest 1% of the world’s population controls one-fifth of the world’s total income. All these inequalities not only undermine the development of the Global South, but also exacerbate North-South and class conflicts and undermine international solidarity. Since 2020, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply chain tensions, the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy shift, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and other shocks have occurred in succession, throwing the macroeconomic order of some developing countries into turmoil. According to the International Monetary Fund’s 2022 Annual Report, nearly 60% of low-income countries may be in or have already been in debt distress. Debt risks not only put a huge strain on developing countries’ public finances, hampering their ability to invest in education, health care, the economy and climate change adaptation, but also pose costs and potential risks to creditors and broader global stability and prosperity. According to the latest United Nations report, “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World,” the number of hungry people worldwide has increased by more than 122 million since 2019, potentially preventing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger by 2030. A severe food crisis would further strain the fragile economic and social conditions of countries in the global South, triggering a chain reaction of crises.
Addressing the challenge of dollar hegemony
The shortcomings of the dollar-dominated international financial system have been increasing in recent years, significantly affecting countries in the Global South. Diversifying the international financial system, or “de-dollarization,” has become a key agenda for countries in the Global South. On the one hand, the sharp increase in interest rates by the Federal Reserve, aimed at curbing domestic inflation, has led to a rapid return of international capital to the United States and has put significant pressure on monetary policies in other countries. In addition, the United States froze the reserves of the Central Bank of Afghanistan after the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan and banned Russia from using the SWIFT international settlement system after the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These actions have heightened concerns in the Global South about the US weaponizing its financial hegemony and have led to a greater urgency for the creation of a fair and reliable financial system. Moreover, countries in the Global South have long called for reforms of international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to ensure that they more fairly and effectively reflect their interests. Since the early days of the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the IMF’s practice of linking financial assistance to domestic institutional reforms has sparked resentment among countries in the Global South. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the financial support provided by international financial institutions to countries in the Global South has been significantly lower than that provided by developed countries, drawing widespread criticism from these countries.
Climate Vision and Environmental Justice
The South believes that developed countries are primarily responsible for climate change, while developing countries are most vulnerable to its impacts. Therefore, the main demands of the South on climate change are: first, developed countries should take the lead in taking preventive measures to combat climate change. second, countries in the South have the legitimate right to pursue modernization and economic growth, and climate change should be considered from a sustainable development perspective. third, developed countries should provide financial and technical support for the actions of countries in the South on climate change and compensate countries in the South that suffer climate damage and losses.
In the new historical context, the path of the Global South towards green development faces new challenges. First, overly radical policies on carbon neutrality impose heavy economic and social burdens and even lead to risks such as energy shortages and social unrest. Second, there is a lack of funding, technology and talent needed for the energy revolution and green industrial transformation. Financial support from developed countries for climate action in the Global South remains significantly inadequate. Not only has the total amount never reached the initial annual promised figure of $100 billion, but the form of financing has been primarily loans, even non-concessional loans, which has increased the financial pressure on recipient countries. The effectiveness of special financing mechanisms such as the Least Developed Countries Fund, the Climate Change Adaptation Fund and the Damage and Loss Fund has not yet been proven.
ساخت یک هویت جهانی برابر
The Global South represents a constantly evolving and developing global identity. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 sought to build consensus on an identity and interests that went beyond state-to-state relations. As such, these countries have made a political commitment to pursue an independent and self-reliant development path; an economic commitment to reflect on and critique the global economic system through the lens of “dependency theory” and have continued to do so. Since the 1990s, countries of the Global South have placed greater emphasis on examining their place within the global political and economic system. Following the impact of global events such as the 2008 international financial crisis, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict, the collective struggle of the Global South for independence, justice, and balanced development has once again attracted international attention. The Munich Security Report 2023 states that for many countries in the Global South, the “Western-dominated order” exhibits characteristics of “post-colonial domination, double standards, and indifference to the concerns of developing countries.” Countries in the Global South do not identify with the Western-dominated global order. In particular, as the slogan of the Zapatista movement in Mexico, “A world with many worlds,”[5] suggests, the identity construct of countries in the Global South does not necessarily mean being “anti-Western,” but rather seeks better coexistence with the West. The identity construct of countries in the Global South has four dimensions: first, promoting a multipolar world and the democratization of international relations; second, emphasizing that each country must independently choose and design a development path that is appropriate to its national circumstances; third, protecting the integrity of its national resources and environmental sovereignty; and fourth, cooperating to maintain human security and promote socio-economic development.
China’s perspective on the Global South
برداشت چین از جنوب جهانی
Amid the recent international media frenzy over the concept of the Global South and the efforts of some currents to exclude China from this conceptual framework, Beijing has sent a clear and official message to the international community: China considers itself an inseparable member of the Global South. Wang Yi clarifies that the Global South encompasses a set of emerging markets and developing countries, which reflects their collective emergence on the international stage. In this regard, Xi Jinping has also emphasized that China, as a developing country and a member of the Global South, has always had a common destiny with other developing countries. He believes that China, South Africa and other African countries, as natural members of the Global South, should unite and jointly work to expand the voice and influence of developing countries in the international system and strengthen their representation in global governance mechanisms. These official positions not only establish China’s identity as a country belonging to the Global South, but also reveal Beijing’s expectations and planning to play an active role in this framework. Chinese thinkers and intellectuals have also increasingly participated in theoretical discussions on the Global South and have offered a comprehensive interpretation of this concept from various angles. From the perspective of Chinese thinkers, the countries of the Global South have gone beyond the traditional geopolitical framework. In contrast to the purely geographical understanding of the “South”, after the end of the Cold War and with the collective emergence of developing countries and their increasing role in the international system, the view of the Global South has taken on a holistic and global nature. From this perspective, the Global South, in comparison to terms such as the Third World or developing countries, has two main components of the post-Cold War global order: “Global” means the increasing connection with the process of economic globalization and the convergence of the problems and opportunities of developing countries within this framework, and “South” refers to the gradual shift of the world’s economic center of gravity to the South. This trend has been accompanied by the increasing political and economic influence of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. On the other hand, and in the view of Chinese thinkers, the historical position of the countries of the Global South has also undergone profound changes. By taking advantage of the opportunities of globalization, these countries have moved from historical marginalization to an effective presence on the world political scene. Today, the international system is more multipolar than it was three decades ago; although the threat of war and hegemony still exists, the concept of “common destiny of humanity” and “participatory development” is now supported by a stronger foundation of power, technology, and will. The countries of the Global South have more capacity than ever to redefine structures of inequality and shape new patterns of global development. The countries of the Global South have also entered a phase of political awakening and self-awareness. The 2008 global financial crisis questioned the effectiveness of the economic models of the North, and the Ukrainian crisis symbolized the political decline of the Global North and the rise of the political South. During the Ukrainian war, many countries of the Global South refused to fully align with NATO and, by maintaining their strategic independence, demonstrated in the most obvious way that they have an independent approach based on national interests in the face of the bipolar and confrontational policies of the West. This trend suggests that in the post-COVID-19 era, countries of the Global South have focused on economic growth and national revival rather than following bloc models.
In any case, the recent Western hype about the concept of the Global South has shown three signs: first, the West is seeking to attract the attention of the Global South to create an “international united front.” Second, the West is using the Global South to collectively resist China’s international influence and weaken its “mass base” in the international community. Third, the West is seeking the cooperation of the Global South to expand its voice and influence in global governance. In light of the above, although the Global South is a disparate group of developing countries with diverse values, cultural traditions, and levels of development, its importance in international political and economic life is rapidly increasing, and China’s relationship with the Global South has aroused increasing debate. While the United Nations and Western scholars generally consider China to be an important component of the Global South and see China’s participation in “South-South cooperation” as a key manifestation of the rise of the Global South, the United States clearly defines China as a strategic competitor. The G7 has attempted to exclude China from the Global South, to create a narrative of competition between China and the G7 for the Global South, and to create conflicts between China and other Global South countries. This clearly distorts the spirit of the Global South’s opposition to geopolitical competition and the pursuit of development cooperation.
تعامل چین با کشورهای جنوب جهان
China can be considered a natural member of the global South. Historically, it has a long history of friendly relations and cultural and trade exchanges with the countries of the South. Apart from the colonial legacy that has affected many countries, China has established extensive links with Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, West Asia, Africa and Latin America through the ancient Silk Road. In the 1950s, China’s Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence were incorporated into the Ten Principles of the Bandung Conference, forming the basis for South-South cooperation. In 1991, at the preparatory meeting of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, China and the G77 countries issued a joint statement for the first time entitled “The G77 and China”. This model gradually became an institutional model for extensive cooperation in the economic, social, financial and budgetary fields of the United Nations. The “G77 + China” model is now considered the main mechanism for collective action among countries in the Global South, and the Financial Center for South-South Cooperation also defines countries in the South under this title.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, with the growth of China’s national power and the increasing role of China in global politics, its position among the countries of the Global South has been further strengthened. China has not only cooperated with the countries of the Global South to realize common development through the Belt and Road Initiative, but also supported the concept of “a community with a shared future for mankind” and put forward initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative. In this way, China has been able to unite the countries of the South to strengthen South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue, defend their common interests, support economic globalization, and emphasize a win-win approach in international cooperation. China has consistently emphasized the principle of broad consultation, joint participation, and mutual benefit in global governance, and has always been an active participant alongside the countries of the Global South in managing the international system. It is a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and an advocate of a just international order. Beijing supports the expansion of the representation and voice of developing countries in international institutions, takes steps to address the shortcomings of the global governance system, and by strengthening South-South cooperation, strives to reform the global governance structure in a way that better reflects the aspirations and interests of the countries of the South. In August 2023, China actively supported the expansion of the BRICS cooperation mechanism, considering it an important platform for synergy among the countries of the South. The BRICS New Development Bank, whose mission is to support infrastructure projects and sustainable development in developing countries, has also allocated its preferential membership to countries of the Global South. Dilma Rousseff, the current president of the bank, has emphasized that this institution is the only multilateral bank established at the initiative of emerging markets and has a mission to strengthen the voice of developing countries on the global stage. In September 2023, China played a pioneering role in supporting the African Union’s accession to the G20, a move that was welcomed by the international community and increased the weight of the South in global governance. This phenomenon is a sign of the consensus of the South in supporting multilateralism and reforming the global governance structure, and also demonstrates China’s leadership role in these processes.
China has always been an active advocate and implementer of solidarity and cooperation among countries in the Global South. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Fund and South-South Cooperation have been the main drivers of cooperation among developing countries. In June 2022, to increase the resources of its development cooperation, the Chinese government decided to upgrade the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund to the Global Development Fund and South-South Cooperation, adding $1 billion to its existing $3 billion balance, to support developing countries in implementing the Global Development Initiative and the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda. At present, the project bank of the initiative is expanding rapidly, and the number of active projects has reached about 200. Overall, China’s efforts to strengthen South-South cooperation and reform global governance structures have established it as a key player in the international order of the 21st century; An actor that promotes a model of development and cooperation based on mutual respect and balanced benefits while defending the common interests of the Global South. In August 2023, Xi Jinping announced that Chinese financial institutions will soon launch a special fund of $10 billion specifically for the implementation of global development projects. In the 12 years since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, China and developing countries, including emerging economies, have worked together to expand trade in goods from $1.04 trillion to $2.07 trillion, and bilateral investment has exceeded $270 billion. Newly signed contracts and China’s trade in countries along the Belt and Road have exceeded $1.2 trillion and $800 billion, respectively, accounting for more than half of its total overseas contract projects. More than 3,000 joint projects between China and its Belt and Road partners have created 420,000 jobs in countries along the Belt and Road and lifted nearly 40 million people out of poverty. In China’s view, the Belt and Road Initiative has become a “development belt” and a “road to prosperity” that benefits the people of countries along the Belt and Road.
China is firmly committed to working with countries in the Global South to address common international challenges. Most of these countries are inherently more vulnerable to global crises such as climate change, poverty, terrorism and infectious diseases. In response to this reality, China has played an active role in developing cooperative solutions with these countries. In the area of climate change, China has so far signed 46 South-South cooperation documents with 39 developing countries, and has launched 10 low-carbon pilot areas and about 100 climate change mitigation and adaptation projects in partner countries under these programs. It has also implemented more than 200 climate-related foreign aid projects to facilitate the transition to green and low-carbon development for countries in the Global South. In the field of poverty alleviation, China ranks first among developing countries in terms of financial assistance, expert dispatches and implementation of FAO projects in the form of South-South cooperation. So far, China has cooperated with more than 140 countries and regions in the field of agriculture, transferred more than 1,000 agricultural technologies, and trained 14,000 hybrid rice experts in more than 80 countries. Afzoo has strengthened food security in developing countries. In the field of public health, since the first medical team was sent to Algeria in 1963, China has started to build 13 model villages for agricultural development and poverty reduction in Africa, which have played a significant role in improving agricultural productivity. So far, more than 30,000 members of Chinese medical teams have served in 76 countries and regions in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and Oceania, providing medical services to about 290 million people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, China has also shared prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment programs with more than 180 countries and international organizations, dispatched 38 medical expert teams to 34 countries, and provided more than 2.2 billion doses of vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations. These broad measures demonstrate that China sees South-South cooperation not merely as a foreign policy, but as a practical tool for addressing common human challenges in the areas of climate, poverty, and public health.
The future outlook for China’s relations with the countries of the global South
Peace and security
Faced with the complex and challenging landscape of international security, the countries of the Global South need mutual cooperation more than ever to play a more effective role in this arena. In the wake of the Ukraine crisis, China, as a prominent representative of the Global South, has become a key force in promoting peaceful solutions to regional and international crises. The countries of the Global South have also welcomed China’s constructive role in mediating and facilitating the resumption of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Looking ahead, there are vast opportunities for expanding cooperation between China and other countries of the South in areas such as redefining security concepts, maintaining global peace, and promoting collective security. In such a context, the first area that requires strengthening cooperation between China and the countries of the Global South is maintaining political and social stability as a prerequisite for sustainable development and regional security. Many governments in the South expect China to play a more active role in ensuring regional and global security and stability. This role includes providing training and military assistance, deploying peacekeeping forces, and transferring experience in crisis management. For example, in 2021, after widespread riots broke out in the Solomon Islands’ capital, Honiara
Following this security axis, the second area of cooperation is conflict prevention and diplomatic mediation. Internal and external conflicts are one of the main challenges for countries in the South, as they test their management capabilities and sometimes require the intervention of external actors. In the reconciliation process between Iran and Saudi Arabia, China, while fully respecting the central role of regional countries, avoided any attempt to fill what is called a “power vacuum.” This innovative approach opened a new path for the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the Global South and presented an alternative model to the traditional interventions of great powers. After this diplomatic dimension, the third area of cooperation between China and the Global South focuses on emerging security areas. New technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data have raised new concerns in the field of national security for developing countries. China has made significant progress in the field of digital security research, infrastructure, and management, and countries in the South hope to benefit from Beijing’s experience and technology to strengthen their own cybersecurity. This cooperation can enhance the digital security capacity of countries in the South and protect their legitimate interests from cyber threats through training local forces, technology transfer, technical assistance, and even the development of common standards.
Cooperation for sustainable and high-quality development
While security cooperation is a cornerstone of regional stability, the continuation of sustainable development and the improvement of the quality of economic growth in the Global South are complementary and continuous dimensions of China’s cooperation with these countries. Although South-South cooperation is based on equality and mutual respect, South-North cooperation still faces challenges such as low effectiveness of development assistance and debt sustainability. Therefore, the countries of the South should adopt an innovative approach to avoid repeating the mistakes of the Northern model and chart a new path for sustainable and quality development. To this end, China strives to design its aid based on the real needs and priorities of the governments and people of the recipient countries and without any specific political preconditions. Beijing adheres to the “people-centered” approach and the principle of “teaching how to fish instead of giving fish”; that is, it prioritizes the transfer of knowledge, technology, and industrial development experience to build capacity in partner countries. Also, China’s aid is not directed against any third person or country, and it is even prepared to join other countries in the form of trilateral cooperation.
Cooperation to solve the debt problem of the countries of the South
مسئله بدهی و پایداری مالی در کشورهای جنوب نیز به یکی از موضوعات کلیدی در همکاری توسعهای چین بدل شده است. از سوی دیگر، برخی از کشورهای جنوب با پدیده «کمک بیشتر، فقر بیشتر و بدهی بالاتر» روبهرو هستند. در این شرایط، چین و سایر کشورهای جنوب باید ضمن شناسایی ریشههای ساختاری این وضعیت، راهکارهای مؤثری برای حل آن ارائه دهند. چین معتقد است بررسی بحران بدهی باید با نگاهی تاریخی و جامع صورت گیرد و کشورهای طلبکارِ مسئول بدهیهای تاریخی جنوب باید در مسیر جبران و بخشش دیون، پیشگام باشند. همزمان، تحریمهای خارجی که مانع توسعه این کشورها هستند باید لغو شوند و اقدامات مؤثری برای تثبیت اوضاع امنیتی در مناطق در حال توسعه صورت گیرد. در سطح عملی، چین توجه بیشتری به پایداری بدهی در همکاریهای توسعهای خود دارد و مایل است برای کاهش فشار بازپرداخت بدهیها اقداماتی مؤثر انجام دهد. افزون بر این، همکاریهای توسعهای پکن با جنوب جهانی بر اصل پایداری زیستمحیطی نیز استوار شده است. چین و کشورهای جنوب به عنوان بازیگران پیشرو در صنایع انرژی نو، ظرفیت بزرگی برای همکاری در زمینه مقابله با تغییرات اقلیمی و ترویج اقتصاد سبز دارند.
Cooperation in combating climate change and promoting a green economy
As mentioned, China and the South, as leading players in new energy industries, have great potential to cooperate in combating climate change and promoting a green economy. China has not only committed to achieving domestic carbon reduction targets, but has also suspended the construction of new thermal power plants abroad. However, some developing countries believe that large economies such as China and India should play a more active role in compensating vulnerable countries for climate damage. There are still gaps between China’s actual capacity and international expectations in the climate field, some of which originate from within the global South. To meet these expectations, China is seeking to play a more prominent role in South-South cooperation to combat climate change. First, it uses its international influence to protect the common interests of developing countries in global negotiations; At the COP27 environmental summit[7], China and the G77 facilitated the establishment of the “Loss and Damages Fund,” a milestone in the historic demand of the South. Second, Beijing has allocated significant financial resources for climate cooperation and expanded the Belt and Road Initiative. From the establishment of the “South-South Cooperation Fund on Climate Change” in 2014 to July 2022, China has allocated more than 1.2 billion yuan for this cooperation. Third, in the concept paper of the Global Security Plan, China has highlighted the importance of the legitimate concerns of small island states on climate change and expressed its willingness to help them increase their capacity to deal with non-traditional threats. In addition, China’s green industries, including solar photovoltaics, wind power, and electric vehicles, can use their high industrial capacity to help the South accelerate the transition to clean energy and embark on a low-carbon and sustainable development path.
Conclusion
Looking back on history, the transition of the global South from “passive dependence” to “collective uprising” is not only the history of the struggle against imperialism, colonialism and hegemony, but also the history of the construction and legacy of the spirit of the global South. The center of global development has begun to shift from the West to the non-Western world. Since the beginning of the modern era, Western colonial powers, relying on superior naval power and military might, forcibly integrated vast Asian, African and Latin American countries into the Western capitalist system, thus forming a “center-periphery” global system[8] that lasted for centuries. As Immanuel Wallerstein has pointed out, this global inequality has been caused by colonial aggression, economic exploitation and the long-term consolidation of the international division of labor. After decades of development and exploration after political independence, some developing countries have gradually found their own appropriate development paths and have made remarkable achievements in economic and social development, becoming shining stars on the world economic map. Since the modern era, the distribution of human wealth has undergone significant changes, marking the first such transformation in modern human history. The international political landscape is increasingly moving towards true multipolarity. The BRICS organization has steadily expanded from 5 to 11 members, while the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has increased its membership to 10 and continues to increase its appeal and influence, extending its reach to West Asia and the Middle East. With the successful entry of the African Union into the G20, the number of developing members in this mechanism has exceeded the number of developed members for the first time. In the face of major international issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Palestine conflict, many developing countries have been able to adhere to independent and peaceful foreign policies without succumbing to pressure from some Western powers. With the rapid development of a large number of countries in the Global South and the deepening of South-South cooperation, the traditional pattern of a strong West and a weak East, or a strong North and a weak South, has changed, and a more balanced and stable multipolar world order is increasingly emerging.
علاوه بر آنچه بیان شد، اصلاح و ایجاد یک سیستم حکمرانی جهانی عادلانهتر و منصفانهتر نیز به تدریج در حال پیشرفت است. سیستم حکمرانی جهانی که پس از جنگ جهانی دوم تأسیس شد، در درجه اول منعکس کننده منافع کشورهای توسعه یافته غربی بود و مفاهیم و قوانین اصلی آن نیز تا حد زیادی در درون آنها جای گرفته بود. با ظهور جمعی جنوب جهانی، الگوی «کشورهای توسعه یافته بر دیگران حکومت کنند و کشورهای در حال توسعه تحت حکومت باشند» دیگر برای واقعیتهای جامعه بینالمللی مناسب تلقی نمیگردد و چین یکی از بازیگران مهمی است که تلاش دارد تا بخشی از نیروی هدایت این تحول اساسی در نظام و سیاست بینالملل را به عهده گیرد. به همین منظور، چین شکلدهی به چشماندازی جدید از همبستگی و همکاری برای جنوب جهان بر اساس مفهوم جامعهای با آیندهای مشترک برای بشریت را در دستور کار قرار داده است. همکاری چین با کشورهای در حال توسعه در پی ایجاد شرایطی است که در آن آیندهای مشترک برای کشورهای همسایه، جامعه چین-عرب، جامعه چین-آفریقا و جامعه چین-آمریکای لاتین شکل بگیرد و در این چهارچوب همه کشورها را به احترام به یکدیگر، همکاری، دستیابی به توسعه مشترک، یادگیری از یکدیگر و ترویج آیندهای بهتر برای بشریت فرا میخواند.
References
当代世界研究中心, 怎样认识全球南方, 全球发展倡议, August, 20, available at:
https://cn.chinadiplomacy.org.cn/gdi/2025-08/19/content_118032620.shtml
John Hawksworth, Rob Clarry and Hannah Audino, “The Long View: How will the global economic order change by 2050?”, PwC, February 2017, available at:
Kevin Daly and Tadas Gedminas, “The Path to 2075: Slower Global Growth, But Convergence Remains Intact,” Global Economics Paper, Goldman Sachs, December 6, 2022, p. 5, available at:
Ministry of External Affairs Government of India, “Voice of Global South 1st Summit 2023”, January 12-13, 2023, available at:
https://www.mea.gov.in/voice-of-global-summit.htm
Nye, Joseph, “What is the Global South,” Project Syndicate, November 1, 2023, available at:
Takashi Shiraishi, “‘Global South’ Needs More Elaborate Definition,” The Japan News, May 12, 2023, available at:
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/editorial/insights-world/20230512-109352/
[1]. Global South
[2]. The Brandt Line
[3] . The rise of the rest
[4]. Institute for Economics and Peace
[5] . Un mundo donde quepan muchos mundos
[6]. Honiara
[7]. COP27
[8]. Core Periphery