China’s bid for leadership in the global South sparks controversy

China's recent efforts to claim leadership of the Global South are being viewed as a strategic move to promote the autocratic governance model favored by the Chinese Communist Party in developing nations. Critics argue that China lacks the legitimacy to represent the Global South, which has traditionally included Third World countries characterized by their developing economies and often non-aligned status.

While China boasts the world’s second-largest economy, its alignment with the communist social order, alongside historical conflicts with the USSR and Vietnam, raises questions about its role in this coalition. Observers note that China has never been a member of the non-aligned movement and, therefore, cannot legitimately assert itself as a leader of the Global South.

China's motivations appear to center on destabilizing the existing world order dominated by the U.S. and Western Europe, aiming to establish an alternative global framework under its influence. This claim to membership in the Global South was notably articulated by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during the BRICS meeting in South Africa in July 2023, when he stated, “China is a natural member of the Global South and will always be a member of the developing world family.”

The South China Morning Post highlighted that this assertion is a counter to the U.S. narrative positioning China as a developed country. President Xi Jinping further emphasized China’s leadership role in the Global South in June 2024, advocating for increased participation from these nations in global governance to ensure a more balanced architecture.

In contrast, India is positioning itself as the natural leader of the Global South, given its rapid economic growth and global stature. New Delhi has organized three Global South Summits in virtual format, attended by over 100 countries, with the latest occurring in August 2024. Many Third World nations reportedly feel more comfortable with India’s leadership compared to China. For instance, Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to represent a third voice for the Global North, suggesting support from Pacific Island countries in international forums.

India's approach aims to unite developing nations while fostering equitable cooperation with the West. At the G20 Summit in New Delhi in 2023, India advocated for increased Western lending to poorer countries to counter China’s perceived predatory lending practices under the Belt and Road Initiative—a proposal supported by U.S. President Joe Biden.

Conversely, Beijing has not sought to unite developing countries within the Global South framework. Instead, it appears to be pursuing a strategy that promotes its autocratic governance model among these nations, challenging the U.S.-led global order and potentially fostering division between the developing and developed worlds.

Research from the Atlantic Council titled “A Global South with Chinese Characteristics” suggests that since the end of the last decade, China has been promoting an alternative model of governance that contradicts Western principles of democracy and individual rights. Beijing has covertly attempted to instill its autocratic model in poorer nations through various training programs aimed at foreign officials.

Since 1981, China has delivered training programs under the guise of foreign assistance, initially in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). However, in 1998, China shifted to offering its own centrally planned programs directly to government officials in developing countries. Between 2013 and 2018, nearly 200,000 trainees participated in approximately 7,000 programs, reflecting a significant shift in focus from humanitarian goals to promoting an autocratic governance model.

These training sessions cover topics such as law enforcement, journalism, and legal issues, often teaching participants to prioritize state and party interests over those of the citizenry. Chinese embassies carefully select trainees from various countries, with the Ministry of Public Security playing a pivotal role in the selection process.

A recent study by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies found that ruling party members from several African nations, including Angola and South Africa, are receiving training at the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Tanzania, in line with Xi Jinping’s model of party-to-party relations. Additionally, programs aimed at Arab officials have been launched at the Shanghai International Studies University, with participants from 16 Arab countries, including Egypt and Syria, taking part.