WANG XIAOYING/CHINA DAILY
The collective rise of developing countries continues to gain momentum with the Global South playing an increasingly pivotal role in reshaping governance and influencing international affairs, experts said.
They made the remarks at a symposium held on March 24 in Beijing for the release of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Report on the International Situation 2025 compiled by the Academic Division of International Studies, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, or CASS.
The report reviews the global economic and political landscape of 2024, covering key regions and major powers, and looks ahead to trends in 2025. It said last year, the global economy continued its slow recovery while geopolitical conflicts became more complicated and global governance struggled.
For 2025, the report predicts new global trends emerging from various factors. It pointed out that Donald Trump's return to the White House is likely to heighten US-Europe tensions in security, politics, economy, and global governance, straining transatlantic relations. In the Asia-Pacific, the report observed the trend of economic digitalization, while regional security at a crossroads and cooperation prospects uncertain.
Wang Lei, deputy director of CASS's Institute of World Economics and Politics, noted that in 2024, global challenges became tougher due to a shortage of international public goods and a growing governance deficit. "China's approach to global governance — focused on consultation, collaboration, and shared benefits — is gaining traction worldwide," he said.
Wang highlighted that developed countries such as the US and Europe are less willing to shoulder international responsibilities, leading to a shift in global governance dynamics. In 2025, countries such as China, Brazil, and South Africa will chair organizations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, and the G20. These Global South nations are becoming key drivers of reform in global governance, he added.
Wang Lincong, deputy director-general of the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies, CASS, pointed to similar momentum in the West-Asian and African regions.
"As part of the Global South, West Asia and Africa are collectively on the rise, through active engagement in global affairs and pursuing a diversified foreign policy. On the global stage, the inclusion of some West Asian and African countries in BRICS and their roles in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization contribute to adjusting the global landscape and geopolitics, promoting a fair and reasonable international economic and political order."
With their increasing awareness of strategic autonomy, the strategic influence of West-Asian and African countries is steadily growing, Wang added.
