President Xi Jinping’s Remarks at G20 Shows China’s Commitment for a Fairer World
By Allawi Ssemanda
This week, leaders from the world’s leading 20 economies or the G20 met in the Brazilian Capital, Rio de Janeiro from 18th – 19th to discuss global challenges including addressing hunger and poverty. The alliance which was launched after the 2007-2008 global financial crisis to help stabilize the global economy at the time saw different world leaders make commitments and suggestions on how to address today’s challenges.
Addressing the second session of the Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping decried what he described as unfair and unequal global governance order and called for reforming the said institutions. This he explained is key in ensuring a fair and just world which is important in building a community of shared future for mankind in the new era.
Xi further suggested that for the world to have peace and tranquility, G20 members should stop looking at other’s development as a challenge but rather as opportunities and view each other as partners rather than rivals. If critically analysed, this is important because it can help in addressing acts like protectionism, unilateralism, and arbitrarily sanctions which all are impendement especially to global supply chain.
The other important area President Xi addressed was the need to ensure that no matter the size of a country either in size or economic terms, that countries are treated equally and rules applied in the same measure. He reasoned that upholding basic norms of international relations is key, stressing that this is the heart and guiding principles of the UN Charter. The Chinese leader further backed his call stressing that, a world where countries irrespective of size or economic power everyone respects basic norms of international relations, reaching consensus on important issues is possible which is key in building an equal, and orderly multipolar world which Xi stressed is key if we are to have an inclusive economic globalization.
He then proposed 5 areas to help improve global governance. The five are; first, the need to improve global economic governance and create a world economy characterised by cooperation. Secondly, Xi asked developed countries to fulfill their responsibilities of ensuring that the grouping improves global financial governance where “the voice and representation of developing countries should be increased.” Third, President Xi argued the G20 to improve trade governance, and build a world economy characterised by openness. Fourth, Xi highlighted the need for G20 to improve global digital governance and fifth, he urged the grouping to improve global ecological governance and argued for developed countries to support developing countries with necessary funding and technology in this regard.
Closer analysis of the five areas President Xi proposed for the G20 to improve, the Global South and specifically African countries will gain more from this. For example, the first proposal called on the G20 to ensure there is improved economic governance characterised by cooperation. “G20 should stay committed to strengthening global economic partnerships,… and fostering an open, inclusive, and nondiscriminatory environment for international economic cooperation,” stressed President Xi. This is important for African countries because unfair practices, protectionism have always locked out African countries. The call to ensure non discriminatory environment means, if implemented, African countries will also have a chance to sit on table while key issues are and decisions are being made rather than waiting to be told what the brothers are proposing. The same proposal called on G20 to support efforts meant to end corruption by not providing safe heaves to corrupt individuals. Aware that corruption is one of the major problems African countries are struggling with, if implemented, this will help the continent in addressing corruption.
The second proposal in which President Xi called on the G20 to improve global financial governance and ensure that the voice and representation of developing countries should be increased is very timely especially for African countries. For a long time, analysts in the global south have complained that the Bretton Woods Institutions are not favourable to the Global South, especially African countries. Indeed, in his 2003 remarks at the Paris Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was clear stressing that the current global financial system has “failed mission to provide developing countries with a safety net.” “The Global Financial architecture is outdated, dysfunctional, and unjust. It is no longer capable of meeting the needs of the 21st Century world,” Guterres observed. Therefore, President Xi reminding the G20 leaders to ensure that the current financial global system is restructured is a timely call and an indication that indeed, China is committed to speaking against issues affecting the global south, especially African countries.
Also, if implemented, Africa will stand to gain more from President Xi’s call for the G20 to improve global trade governance and build a world economy that is open and free to all countries. Specifically, president Xi proposed that the G20 “should further promote the reform of the World Trade Organisation, oppose protectionism, avoid politicising economic issues… and taking protectinionst moves in the name of green and low-carbon development. If implemented, many developing countries including Uganda will benefit from this move. For example, the European Union’s European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) which announced a raft of measures that would see African countries’ coffee banned from EU markets on claim that the production process was not environmentally friendly. This has been criticised as extension of old colonial control and resource exploitation in a new form of environment and social governance. Therefore, president Xi calling on the G20 to ensure that it is not used to advance protectionist moves in the name of green and low carbon development is timely and should be lauded.
Lastly, President Xi’s commitment that China will continue supporting Global south development efforts and specifically proposing 8 actions which included a “high quality Belt and Road Initiative, which will ensure more Chinese investments in Infrastructure sector in developing world is also a commitment of China’s support in building a community of shared future for mankind and a win-win cooperation. It also shows that China is indeed a strong ally of the Global south and that Beijing is committed to working together with African countries to attain sustainable development. “China has always been a member of the Global South, a reliable and long-term partner of developing countries and an activist and doer in support of global development,” stressed President Xi.
The writer is a senior Research fellow at the Development Watch Centre.
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