China has always breathed the same breath and shared the fate with other developing countries, according to President Xi Jinping. In a speech delivered at the closing ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum in Johannesburg, President Xi emphasized the importance of enhancing the representation and voice of countries in the “Global South” in global governance. This concept of the “Global South” has been gaining popularity as developing countries continue to assert themselves on the global stage.
The “Global South” refers to groups of developing countries with similar aspirations and values. It is not an international organization or political group, but rather a loose group that includes countries with diverse cultural traditions and levels of development. Since the 1990s, the economic rise of the “Global South” has been attracting increasing attention from the international community. The countries in the “Global South” have been stepping into the process of political rise, exhibiting growing political autonomy and challenging the political ideas of the West.
The rise of the “Global South” holds significant implications for the transformation of the current international order and global governance. Firstly, it unites countries for self-improvement and promotes unity and cooperation through regional or trans-regional governance organizations. This includes the recent expansion of the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Secondly, countries in the “Global South” emphasize the importance of an independent development path and seek to strengthen their strategic autonomy. This contributes to promoting and strengthening diversity in global governance. Finally, developing countries play a crucial role in maintaining world peace, stability, and security by not taking sides in international security conflicts.
The commonalities of the “Global South” lie in their pursuit of development issues, common problems in the process of modernization, vulnerability to global economic crises, and the promotion of reform in global governance. The rise of the “Global South” has the potential to improve the fairness and reasonableness of the current international order and global governance. With emerging economies like China, India, Brazil, and South Africa gaining prominence, the “Global South” is becoming an important force in shaping the future of human society.
In order to demonstrate its responsibility as a major country, China must actively promote unity and cooperation within the “Global South”. This involves strengthening self-improvement and pursuing independent development paths, while also contributing to diversity in global governance. The role of China and other countries in the “Global South” is crucial in shaping a more just and reasonable international order.