The strategic partnership between China and SA

THE Chinese Embassy in South Africa offers warm congratulations on the publication of the book, Xi Jinping and the Global South, and express my sincere thanks to everyone from different sectors who have long cared about and supported China-South Africa relations.

- WU PENG

In few days, the G20 Summit will open in Johannesburg. This will be the first G20 Summit held on the African continent. China firmly supports South Africa’s G20 Presidency, and we look forward to this Summit sending out a strong voice of the Global South on global governance.

Today, we are gathered with friends from South Africa’s policy, academic and media communities to discuss a major question: Where is the Global South headed, and how can China and the Global South move forward together? This is a timely topic. It also has far-reaching significance.

I would like to share three thoughts, drawing on Professor (David) Monyae’s book. First, the rise of the Global South is the trend of our times and the direction of development. In his book, Professor Monyae points out that the Global South is not just a simple geographic term.

It is a political identity and a collective consciousness formed after countries with a shared history of colonialism and setbacks in development went through common struggles. It represents “historical actors” who strive for a fairer international order for themselves. This breaks away from labels such as “underdeveloped countries” and “the Third World”, which carry a sense of hierarchy.

Instead, it highlights dignity, rights and responsibilities. I fully agree with this view. Today, more than 130 countries belong to the Global South. They account for about 85% of the world’s population and over 40% of global GDP. On average, developing economies are growing faster than developed ones. We can say that the Global South is no longer the “silent majority” of the international system. It has already become an important force driving multipolarity, economic globalisation and diversity of civilisations.