China brings Global South's common interests to the fore

JOHANNESBURG -- Atlantis, a place that had long been referred to as the "forgotten town" amid the gorgeous surroundings of the City of Cape Town, South Africa, underwent a stunning metamorphosis about a decade ago.

This transformation was catalyzed by the establishment of a Hisense factory in the heart of this once-sleepy town. Prior to the arrival of the Chinese appliance and electronics manufacturer, Atlantis had been lying dormant in the shadow of Cape Town, its potential going unnoticed.

About 700 km east to Atlantis, Chinese automaker Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation (BAIC) has been rolling cars off the production line in its South African plant near the car export hub of Port Elizabeth since 2018.

The BAIC facility, a vast industrial complex, not only boasts cutting-edge automotive manufacturing technology but also plays a crucial role in providing employment opportunities for the local workforce.

Hisense and BAIC are among the many Chinese corporations participating in local economic development in Africa. In their interviews with Xinhua, African experts and officials said that as a member of the Global South, China has pursued a development path featuring win-win cooperation and mutual benefits, not least with other developing nations.

"Thanks to China, Kenya has certainly seen a lot of infrastructure development under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)," said Stephen Ndegwa, a lecturer in international relations at the Nairobi-based United States International University-Africa.

"We've seen infrastructure developments including ports, dams, road extension and even new highways and railroads, all of which have contributed significantly to Africa's social and economic growth," he said, adding that a project like the BRI "cannot succeed without amity, sincerity and honesty."

On Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China's commitment to championing common interests of the Global South in global affairs.

As a developing country and a member of the Global South, China breathes the same breath with other developing countries and pursues a shared future with them, and has resolutely upheld the common interests of developing countries and worked to increase the representation and voice of emerging markets and developing countries in global affairs.

Xi's remarks were made in a speech read out by Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao at the BRICS Business Forum 2023.

"China has been helping African countries to promote their industrial advancement, which is a commendable approach," said Zambian Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet-Finance and Economic Development Siazongo Siakalenge.

Noting that the majority of African countries have a significant infrastructure deficit, he said that China is assisting other developing nations "in order to provide them with the opportunity not only to create products locally but also to access both the Chinese and global markets."

"Xi's speech is fantastic. It has given a lot of hope to the developing world," said Siakalenge, who was present at the forum. "China is promoting equitable development not only throughout the (Global) South but throughout the world."

Over the last decade, China has proposed worldwide public goods such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative.

While the Global South has joined hands with China to promote global peace and common prosperity, some in the West have been bent on slinging mud, framing China as "attempting to disrupt the world order."

"The Global North is just panicking," said Thabo Sephuma, who works at Nelson Mandela Foundation. "The Global North is trying to protect their bread and butter, but we also need to grow our own bread and butter."

"For a long period of time, (our) voice has not been heard (or) taken seriously, and certain rules were made without (our) consultation," said Peter Ndoro, a broadcast journalist in South Africa.

"Once you start to aggregate all of the (Global South) nations together, you start to realize we actually have common issues, common problems, common hopes and common ambitions, and there are things we would like to see changed in the world," Ndoro said.

When countries come together as a grouping, such as the Global South, suddenly that voice cannot be ignored, he said.