China News Service, Beijing, March 8: Why is China said to be a member of the "Global South"?

　　——Exclusive interview with Tang Xiaoyang, Director of the Department of International Relations, School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University

　　China News Service reporter Guan Yilun Madelin

　　On March 7, Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister, talked about the status and role of the "global South" at the press conference of the Second Session of the 14th National People's Congress. He said that the "global South" is no longer "silent" "Majority" has become the key force in the transformation of the international order and the hope for change in a century.

China has been, is and will be a staunch member of the Global South. It has always shared the same destiny with all Southern countries and has always been the backbone of the development and revitalization of the Global South.

　　As the world's major changes unseen in a century accelerate, the "global South" has gradually become an important force in the international landscape.

How to understand the “global South”?

Why is China said to be a member of the "Global South"?

How will China continue to cooperate with other countries in the “Global South” in the future?

Tang Xiaoyang, director of the Department of International Relations at the School of Social Sciences at Tsinghua University, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service's "East-West Question" on this issue.

Video: [East-West Question] Tang Xiaoyang: Why is China said to be a member of the "Global South"?

Source: China News Network

The interview transcript is summarized as follows:

China News Service reporter: How to understand the "global South"?

Tang Xiaoyang:

"Global South" is a conventional concept. In different contexts, this concept sometimes refers to countries that have experienced national independence and liberation movements politically, and sometimes refers to countries that are less developed economically. Therefore, there is no clear definition. define.

Tibet's Gyirong Port is a major land trade channel between China and Nepal.

The picture shows a corner of the streets in Jilong Town.

(Photo taken in April 2018) Photo by He Penglai

　　For a long time, the concepts of “global South” and “developing countries” have been used interchangeably in different contexts.

Since the concept of "developing country" itself is an economic and political mixture, to a certain extent, we can regard the countries of the "Global South" as developing countries.

　　In view of the diverse history, culture and wide geographical distribution of countries in the "global south", there are undoubtedly differences within them, and these differences will be more obvious than the differences between countries in the "global north".

However, countries in the "Global South" are now increasingly seeking identity. This is a process of seeking common ground while reserving differences: countries in the "Global South" do not want to completely obliterate differences, but find common goals based on diversity.

At present, the top priorities of the countries of the "Global South" are the same, which are development and peace. This ensures that all countries of the "Global South" have a basis for coordination and mutual cooperation.

　　Therefore, it can be seen that although there are many differences in specific political and economic policies between China and other "Global South" countries, everyone abides by the principle of peaceful coexistence when coordinating plans, neither emphasizing alliances nor sharing their own opinions. impose on others.

Every country, regardless of its size, whether it is poor or rich, can feel equality and importance in international cooperation mechanisms such as the BRICS cooperation mechanism and the joint construction of the “One Belt, One Road”. This is something that it does not feel when facing the “Global North” This also enables the "Global South" to maintain its attractiveness in a diverse context and enables the countries of the "Global South" to pursue common goals on an equal footing.

On December 29, 2023, the departure ceremony of the two-way cross-border railway train of the New Land-Sea Corridor (Chongqing, China-Vientiane, Laos-Bangkok, Thailand) was held simultaneously at Chongqing and Madap stations in Thailand.

The picture shows Chongqing Tuanjie Village Central Station, where the first train officially departs.

Photo by He Penglai

China News Service reporter: What importance do you think the "Global South" has to the world?

At present, the collective rise of countries in the "Global South" will have what impact on the future international order?

Tang Xiaoyang:

Since the end of the Cold War, the countries of the "Global South" have become the fastest growing and most active force in the global economy, which has gradually brought them strong political influence.

　　Before the end of the Cold War, a large part of the energy of countries in the "Global South" was focused on the fields of ideology and political systems, reflecting the differences between the "East" and the "West."

However, with the end of the Cold War and the development of globalization, the size of the global economy has increased significantly. For developing countries, ideological disputes are no longer their top priority.

At present and in the next 10 to 20 years, the trend and common vision of developing countries to take peace and development as their primary goals will not change.

　　In 2023, the GDP of emerging markets and developing economies, which account for more than 70% of the world's population, will account for nearly 60% of the global GDP based on purchasing power parity.

At a time when anti-globalization is still undercurrent, these "global south" countries that are still promoting globalization and promoting common development will undoubtedly become one of the most important driving forces in the development of world politics and globalization.

China Railway Construction International Group undertook the construction of Lusail Stadium, the main venue of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. This is the first time that a Chinese enterprise has undertaken the construction of a main World Cup venue as a design and construction general contractor.

In December 2020, the Lusail Stadium project was printed on the fifth set of 10 riyal banknotes by the Qatar Central Bank. "Built in China" attracted widespread attention.

Photo by Tomita

China News Service reporter: Why is China said to be a member of the "Global South"?

How to understand the relationship between China and other countries of the “Global South”?

Tang Xiaoyang:

Historically speaking, the growth history of the People's Republic of China reflects China's mission to rejuvenate the nation and oppose power oppression. This is completely consistent with the original intention when the concept of the "Global South" was born.

　　Politically speaking, China has always adhered to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which are also political norms shared by countries in the "Global South."

China has always regarded itself as the largest developing country and does not have the "teacher"-like idea of ​​being superior to others like some developed countries.

　　Economically speaking, China has developed very fast in the past few decades, but even as its economic level has improved, China is still one of the biggest driving forces behind the development of globalization, which is common to all countries in the Global South. Vision.

　　Currently, the overall scale of China's manufacturing industry has ranked first in the world for 14 consecutive years, and the global trade volume of goods has ranked first in the world.

By promoting the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative and building extensive cooperative relations with BRICS countries, China can be said to be one of the most determined and capable promoters of globalization, and the continued advancement of globalization is undoubtedly would benefit all countries of the “global south”.

　　Therefore, even from an economic perspective, it should be noted that judging whether China is a country in the "Global South" cannot only depend on its economic level.

All "Global South" countries ultimately want to develop and have a better economy. However, after their economic development, no matter in terms of history, political philosophy or economic role, they are very different from the traditional "Global North" countries. Big difference.

A large ocean-going ro-ro vessel berthed at the Lianyungang Terminal, preparing to load 400 vehicles for export to Saudi Arabia.

Photo by Wang Chun

China News Service reporter: What experience has China gained in cooperation with other countries in the "Global South"?

How will we continue to cooperate in the future?

Tang Xiaoyang:

In my opinion, cooperation between China and other “global south” countries is an extension of China’s own development experience.

Therefore, the key to cooperation is to be able to uphold the spirit of seeking truth from facts and "crossing the river by feeling for the stones".

　　In China, every place needs to find the development method that is most suitable for its own region and the current era under the common goal of national development. This development method is destined to be gradually experimented in actual situations and through "crossing the river by feeling the stones." "obtained through exploration.

　　Our common development with other countries in the "global south" is an integral part of modernization.

If a country only thinks about its own gains and then takes the profits away, it will become an imperialist country like the 19th to 20th centuries, and this has been proven by the trends of the modern world to be unviable.

In 2019, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo was held in Changsha and permanently settled in Hunan.

The picture shows an African artistic performance.

Photo by Yang Huafeng

　　The development of modern industry has created the possibility of mutual benefit and win-win for countries. Through openness, division of labor, cooperation, and development of their respective comparative advantages, countries can promote the development of productivity several times or even dozens of times.

Through the joint construction of the "Belt and Road", relevant countries have gained development experience, achieved industrial development, increased exports and employment opportunities, and China has also established more international companies, which will help China expand its "circle of friends" in the industrial chain and promote development Quality continues to improve.

Therefore, achieving common development between China and other “global south” countries will be our continued goal.

Expert profile:

　　Tang Xiaoyang is a professor and director of the Department of International Relations at Tsinghua University, a Young Yangtze River Scholar of the Ministry of Education, and the host of a major research project of the National Social Science Fund.

Research interests include political philosophy, the “Belt and Road Initiative” and the modernization process of developing countries.

Tang Xiaoyang once worked at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington, D.C., and also served as a consultant for the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program, the African Development Bank and a number of scientific research institutes and consulting companies.

He has visited more than 60 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, interviewed thousands of entrepreneurs, officials, workers, and farmers. He has published more than 50 papers in domestic and foreign publications and authored the monograph "The Practical Theory of Co-Evolution". Doctrine: Methods and Impacts of China-Africa Economic Cooperation" and "China-Africa Economic Diplomacy and Its Enlightenment on the Global Industrial Chain."