Tag: Wang Yi

Wang Yi is Spot-on; The Global South is Growing Stronger

Posted on by Alan Collins Mpewo

The former President of the European Commission, Professor Jose Manuel Barroso once observed; “in the age of globalisation, pooled sovereignty means more power, not less.” There was a time when Africa recorded a growth in globalisation. But that time was many centuries ago. Societies have been organised in various ways, most of which have been classified depending on the politics of the day. So were the Empires of the times. Kingdoms, Queendoms, Chiefdoms, and extended clans that followed.

Globalisation comes from the understanding that it needs to be done with neighbours, because as far as history has registered, borders and boundaries were established from many factors. What remained certain were the people. They have been the most plausible justification as to why the trend should never stop. The people of the global south today have understood that there is an international lag in the intentional relations with the other global north countries. Oftentimes, it has been using the global south for selfish gains. Here, one can even argue that West Africa has all justification for suspending French military presence. Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, and more on that list. That said, if critically analysed, the global north has been strategic besides its countless faults. The European Union, the confederation of the USA, the rise of the Asian Tigers, all these and more were from the same view – harnessing the power of concerted strength.

There is a reason as to why today, the global south has become a centre of attraction. From the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, to political alliances, the global south is undeniable. On the other hand, China has been standing shoulder to shoulder with almost all global south countries. Today, as Beijing doubles down efforts to support building a community of a shared future for mankind,  her close cooperation with developing countries especially in Africa are visible. For Africa, the greatest symbolism of what bloc unity can produce became a reality when the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2017 spoke in union and forced then the Gambian strongman, Yahya Jammeh who had lost election but refused to peacefully handover power. Therefore, when we talk about unity in efforts of development and achieving greater good for humanity, it is not far-fetched.

China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi put this in a better perspective as he addressed the press in Beijing where he stressed the importance of unity and cooperation of the Global South. Noting that today the Global South accounts for over 40 percent  of the global GDP, he underscored the role of the grouping  in ensuring world peace. “The Global South should stand together in unity….We should speak in one voice to the world, safeguard our common interests, and steadily increase our representation and voice in global governance,” stressed Wang Yi.

This comes from the disunity today that is being cited globally. Whereas the Global South has issues, most of them are arising from the inadequacies in governance. Wang’s idea has been backboned by the expansion of the BRICS where he believes that more global south countries joining will not only strengthen the alliance but also increase the opportunities members enjoy, one being the trade exchanges in this era of growing sanctions and tariffs from the West especially in Trump’s United States of America which is on rampage of using tariffs against others despite many experts warning that such tariffs are not only a threat to international trade but are also against international trade rules. Indeed, the Wall Street Journal described the Trump Administration’s use of tariffs as a “dumb” decision.

It therefore goes to show the double standards that have always shown up and called out. The West is predominantly only loyal to its interests. To expand the re-echo by Jeffrey Sachs on a quote from Henry Kissinger that “to be an enemy of America (insert – WEST) can be dangerous, but to be America’s (insert – WEST’s) friend is fatal.”

In recent decades, conversations have been around fighting hegemonies and to form an alternative to the powers of neo-colonialism that are not afraid to show their fangs whenever an opportunity shows itself. The comments from Wang are timely. The global south has high potential but for a few inadequacies. It is going to take visionary stewards towards ensuring realising the unity that the Global South deserves, and not just what it wants to see.

Today, the expanse of mineral deposits and natural resources that the West enjoyed is gradually diminishing, and as such the Global South holds the odds of power. The current century has proved that it is not just military might that is going to be the better of growth and development. Today’s fruits of international diplomacy were not merely achieved through the barrel of the gun, but decades of continuous middle ground formulation and genuine resource sharing, although history is littered with events of use of force. That is no longer sustainable because the world has learnt from the mistakes that led to the massive destruction of World War II. The alternatives raised by the BRICS are so practical and viable. The economic development of the Global South that has been recorded today is just an indicator of what economic unity bears as fruits.

Alan Collins Mpewo is a Senior Research Fellow, Development Watch Centre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wang Yi is Correct: Time Looks About Right For The Global South

Posted on by Joshua Kingdom

Having spent the last fifty years or so portraying itself as the anointed protector of the world, the last thing that the West would wish for is for stability to prevail in other regions while it disintegrates. And yet, as Europe gathers itself to patch up what is left of the NATO rags, this is exactly the place in which it finds itself.

Relatedly, it is more plausible that the inward looking frameworks being passed in the United States of America e.g. foreign aid cuts have more to do with a realization that her economy no longer has what it takes to pursue these ventures than the supposed misspending concerns.

The big mistake of the North that culminated into the harsh reality that the countries in the bloc now have to contend with, was a failure to appreciate the nuances associated with the developing world. Having landed on a couple of blanket terms one of which is “global south”, western politicians blinded themselves from a multiplicity of synergetic factors (say natural resources, geography, and population dynamics) existing in the over 100 emerging economies and so they underrated them– if not ignoring them altogether.

This meant that even countries in Asia, the Caribbean, or Africa whose governments were initially sympathetic to western ideologies found difficulty in communicating to the developed world unless they were picked on for strategic interests. An alternative had to be found thus, and it was. Most importantly, it is a model that works.

The trajectory onto which the once disenfranchised countries have set ever since is that of cooperation and it was best articulated by President Xi Jinping of China at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro last year as one that seeks to see “100 flowers” blossom in stark contrast to the usual hegemonic tendencies of super powers.

To this end, ensuing progress can be measured by the fact that several players in this new way of conducting international relations have leveraged domestic capabilities to support their compatriots who could otherwise not accomplish certain objectives. Like China’s Xi Jinping, Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been a big advocate of the admission of the African Union into the G20 grouping. Guided by her desire of building a community of shared prosperity for mankind, China has gone out of its way to support the economic development of African nations. As it stands then, the country has single-handedly lent more money to the continent than that given out by the World Bank, IMF, USA, Britain, France, and Germany combined.

If you are a numbers person, then I have some for you to crunch as they show strength on the economic front as well. By the end of 2024, the total GDP of the founding BRICS members (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) was more than that of the G7 economies. Expanding to all the countries making up the global south, they makeup 40% of global GDP today and 80% of economic growth. Inter-trade relations amongst these countries have also seen a boom as the consumption capacity in the West continues to fall. So in 2023, China’s exports to her allies exceeded what the country shipped to Europe and the United States.

With such facts and commitment among some major powers showing unwavering support for the global south, one can safely argue that the days for West’s global hegemony are numbered, multipolarity is unstable. As observed by Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee who doubles as China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi as he engaged the media, the cooperation of the Global South will create the necessary environment needed for prosperity and growth of not only the global south but the entire world. “As the world is undergoing great transformation unseen in a century, historic changes are taking place in the East-West and South-North dynamics. The Global South holds the key to bringing stability to the world and making it a better place,” Wang Yi told news reporters.

In order to consolidate these gains and harness future prospects, formal and informal forums have been created e.g. the Shanghai Cooperation and Voice of Global South summits in another clear demonstration of a bold vision. Under these arrangements, care has been taken to ensure that members are best positioned to contribute in the best way that they can for the common interest of everyone involved. The admission of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to BRICS for instance, introduced the element of oil wealth in the organization. It is not surprising then that the membership of these umbrellas has been rising up dramatically in the last couple of years.

While the future for the global south looks promising,  as Chinese adage say, “众志成城”, loosely translated as “a united will can build a fortress” or “unity brings strength,” as global south gatheres efforts needed to build an ideal world,  unity among the grouping members will play a pivital role. This was ephasized by Wang Yi as he addressed the media observing that, ‘the Global South should stand together in unity. This year, China will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Brazil the BRICS summit, and South Africa the G20 summit. We should speak in one voice to the world, safeguard our common interests, and steadily increase our representation and voice in global governance.”

With this momentum increasing further and further, the West is reluctantly coming to admit that it might very well not have what it takes to reckon with it. In a 2023 United Kingdom defense review for example, the government affirmed that there was a looming shift in the tide of geopolitics. Too bad for them if they find no recourse.

The writer is a research fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

 

China’s Wang Yi Africa Visit: 2025 Will Be A Fruitful Year For Sino-Africa Relations

Posted on by Allawi Ssemanda

Dear Editor, last week, China’s top Diplomat Wang Yi completed his week-long Africa trip having visited four different African countries of Chad, the Republic of Congo, Namibia and Nigeria.

The visit which marked 140th visit from Chinese top leadership to the continent since the year 2007. It was also 35th year in a row Chinese Foreign Minister making Africa the first destination for his foreign where traditionally the visit covers 4-5 African countries every January of the year. By all measures, the tradition confirms that China puts great importance to its cooperation with Africa. It is also a testament that China’s diplomatic ties with Africa is guided by principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, inclusiveness and real results as President Xi Jinping often states.

Wang Yi’s visit came just months after China upgraded bilateral relations between African countries with China to the level of strategic relations, with president Xi Jinping during 2024 Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) announcing that the overall characterization of Africa-China relations be elevated to all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

If critically analyzed, Wang Yi, who doubles as a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, his visit is key in deepening practical cooperation between China and Africa in different sectors and promoting an in-depth development of China-Africa cooperation with real results and win-win for both sides. Indeed, President Xi Jinping observed in his 2013 FOCAC summit key note address in Durban, South Africa that; “the development of China-Africa ties can only be in the present continuous tense and never in the present perfect tense.”  A decade plus since Xi’s remarks, China continues to stand shoulder to shoulder and work with African countries for mutual benefits – a sign that Beijing is committed to her idea of building a community of shared future and prosperity for mankind in the new era.

For decades now, the trade between two sides have been growing and are projected to further grow in 2025. For example, in addition to being Africa’s largest trading partner for the last 15 years in a row, at the end of 2023, China’s trade volume with African countries reached USD 282.1 billion. At the end of 2024, this grew to USD 296 billion representing about 5% increasement, according to data by the General Administration of Customs of China.

With China’s Belt and Road Initiative which is making significant contribution in improving the continent’s infrastructure connectivity, zero tariff policy on African goods entering Chinese markets as announced by China, the figures of trade between two sides will likely grow further. Considering multiplier effects of such which include among others contributing to improved standards of living, one can safely argue that China-Africa cooperation in all ways is contributing to building a community of shared prosperity and shared future in the new era. This goes without saying that China’s initiatives such as Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiatives are also key in building the ideal world.

In this context, Wang Yi’s visit clearly shows China’s willingness to work with African counterparts in ensuring that the 10 partnership actions President Xi announced during the 2024 FOCAC summit meant to be implemented over a period of next three years are fast tracked. The 10 Partnership Actions include among others; mutual learning among civilization which will see sharing of governance experience, establishment of 25 China-Africa studies centers; the Partnership Action for trade and prosperity; the Partnership Action for industrial chain cooperation which will see the launch of an African SMEs empowerment program and  China supporting the continent to build 20 digital demonstration projects in Africa; the Partnership Action of connectivity with aim of supporting 30 infrastructure connectivity projects in Africa; and Partnership Action on health. Under health action, China will send 2,000 medical experts in Africa, launch 20 programs of health facilities and malaria treatment and encourage Chinese companies to invest in Africa’s pharmaceutical production.

Others include Partnership Action for development cooperation which will see implementation of 1,000 small and beautiful livelihood projects; Partnership Action for agriculture and livelihoods which will see increase in Chinese funding of agriculture on the continent; Partnership Action for green development; Partnership Action for people-to-people exchanges; and Partnership Action for common security.

If critically analyzed, all the 10 Partnership Actions will help the continent to address its challenges and most of its bottlenecks to development. For example, under the Partnership Action for Agriculture and livelihoods, China promised to provide Africa with 1 billion Chinese Yuan in emergency food assistance, support in building about 6,670 hectares of standardized agricultural demonstration, send agricultural experts to train their African counterparts and establish a China-Africa agricultural science and technology innovation alliance. This is in addition to implementing 500 programs meant to support and promote community welfare. More importantly, under the Partnership Action for agriculture, China’s aim is to promote two-way investments for new business by both Chinese and African companies with aim of retaining and adding value in goods produced on the continent and create at least one million jobs for the continent.

Aware that China believes in consultations other than enforcing her own ideas on her allies, one can argue that Wang Yi’s visit at a time when the two sides are readying themselves to embark on implementation of the projects under the said Partnership Actions, the visit was crucial for consultations and understanding of priorities for African countries where the partnership projects will be implemented. It is also a testament of China’s readiness and willingness to kick-start the implementation of the 10 partnership actions.

Taking the Partnership Action for common security as an example, during his Africa trip, Minister Yi was categorical that China will “firmly support Africans in addressing African issues in the African way,” stressing that “African people are the real masters of this continent.” Yi further expressed China’s stance against interfering in the Continent’s internal affairs in any form and instead showed Beijing’s willingness and readiness to support the continent so that African countries themselves can devise ways of addressing their concerns. It’s in this visit that wang announced USD 136 million to support the continent in addressing security issues, help in training of 6000 troops and 1,000 police officers across Africa. He also pledged China’s support to the continent in its interests including at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). “At the UNSC, China will always be in favor of Africa,” stressed wang Yi.

In conclusion, considering that China takes engagement and consultations with allies key in their development support; and, aware that China’s global initiatives such as Global Development Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative and Global Security Initiative and the Belt and Road Initiative have some convergence with African Union’s Agenda 2063, one can safely argue that 2025 will be a fruitful year for China-Africa cooperation. With Wang Yi’s just concluded visit, this assertion is arguably bankable especially that both sides are determined to strengthen their achievements and that Beijing has been clear that her relationship with Africa is guided by principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefits and real results with aim of building a community of shared future for mankind in the new era.

The writer is a resident senior research fellow at the Development watch Centre.

China’s Wang Yi’s Africa Visit Shows Her Value

Posted on by Joshua Kingdom

By Joshua Kingdom

“Africa should be a big stage for international cooperation, not an arena for major-force rivalry”. These were the words of then Chinese Foreign Minister (FM) Qin Gang speaking to the press in Ethiopia while on his Africa visit in January 2023. Thereafter, he would fly to Angola, Gabon, Benin, and finally Egypt. This sort of thing happens at every beginning of year in a long standing tradition of demonstrating an enduring commitment to African affairs by The Chinese Communist party (CCP). For 2025, the current FM, Wang Yi concluded the year’s version of the tour in Nigeria on Thursday last week.

There is a lot that the minister’s journey achieved on its own, including the fact that his meeting with President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo re-echoed China’s readiness to start on the implementation of her promises at last year’s Forum on China-Africa Cooperation as well as how the liaison with Chad fills a gap that the recent crisis between the country and her former colonizer had caused. For our purposes here however, we will instead focus on how it is that the custom of Chinese foreign ministers travelling to this part of the world annually is strong evidence for how much their government cherishes it.

In doing so, I hope to provide a counter-perspective to that which one often hears from the West when its media paints China’s motives in relating with Africa as opportunistic through and through. As you read on, please keep at the back of your mind the fact that these cries have somehow become louder at a time when the potential of the AU states begins to vividly show– it is estimated for instance, that we will spend as much as $16 trillion in consumption and business yearly by 2050.

The shift in partnership preference by African leaders from West to East is explainable in part by the fact that Beijing has treated them with dignity. While President Hu Jintao hosted the first China-Africa Summit in 2006 thus, it took almost a decade before the United States thought that organizing an equivalent event was worth the bother. No example brings out this point better however, than the FMs’ engagements. I mean, the practice has been going for thirty-five years now. Surely, everyone would agree that the state of geopolitics has changed so much from 1990 that China cannot have been lying low all this while waiting for when the moment is right. Add to this the fact that FMs are often high ranking state officials such that their involvement in any duty is a mark of the significance that their party attaches to it and you see where this is going. Indeed, Wang Yi presently serves on the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party.

Moreover, China has made gains from the China-Africa FM trips as much as Africa has. Seeing the deliberate effort that the CCP leadership has invested through this initiative, other global powers are beginning to send more of their top politicians on the continent with competing offers. In 2023 alone hence, United States Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited five African nations between themselves. And in December last year, President Biden made his way to Angola. Significantly, the latter country has a lot to thank China for since western powers had mostly abandoned it during the immediate aftermath of the disastrous war that wrecked it at the turn of the century.

Knowing that there is no place in which actions speak louder than words than in foreign relations then, the time that Chinese FMs spend on the continent every beginning of year tells us all that we need to know about their homeland’s view of Africa. Countries in the Northern hemisphere will have to up the game before earning the right to convince Africans otherwise.

The writer is a lawyer and research fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

China’s UN speech offers guidance and hope for a stable world

Posted on by Allawi Ssemanda

On Saturday 24th, China’s State Councilor who doubles as Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered speech to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York.

In the 21 minutes address, Wang told world leaders that today, the world is faced with multiple challenges; “COVID-19 has kept resurfacing, global security faces uncertainty, global economic recovery is fragile and unsteady and various risks and crisis are emerging,” he stressed.  Wang went ahead explaining that “changes unseen a century, are accelerating.” This, he argued has seen “the world has entere a new phase of turbulence and change.”

Despite painting a grim picture of the current situation, Wang explained that the world continues to move toward multipolarity, deepening of economic globalization and interconnectedness and interdependence of countries and that increased people’s calls for progress and cooperation among countries getting louder, these are good signs of hope.

To address current challenges the world is facing, State Councilor Wang Yi explained that China is ready to take lead. He then advanced six key areas the world should focus on to ensure that together, the world builds a community with a shared future for mankind.

Stressing importance of peace for the future of international community, Wang emphasized the need to uphold peace and opposing wars. Quoting China’s president Xi Jinping, Wang Yi explained “turbulence and war can only open pandora’s box. And he who instigates a proxy war can easily get himself burned.” Further, he called for peace stressing that “pursuing one’s absolute security can only undermine global strategic stability. We must address differences by peaceful means and resolve disputes through dialogue and consultation.”

Compared with China’s Global Security Initiative which emphasizes common comprehensive cooperative and sustainable security, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of others, abiding by the principles of UN charter, taking seriously security concerns of others among others, this idea will help in addressing global challenges that are security related.

Secondly, explaining that development is key for one’s wellbeing, Wang emphasized the need to support development efforts and end poverty globally. “Development holds the key to resolving difficult issues and delivering a happy life to our people,” noted Wang. He also stressed importance of working together. “We should place development at the centre of international agenda and forge a global development partnership and see that everyone in every country benefit from fruits of development in equitable way,” emphasized Wang.

If analysed, the above resonates well with China’s proposed global development initiative (GDI) which was introduced by president Xi in September 2021. GDI outlines China’s vision in context of global development efforts. It aims to support developing countries in poverty alleviation, public health, and other issues, while putting people at centre of development.

Thirdly, Wang called for an open world economy and inclusiveness while upholding, multilateral trading system like the World Trade Organization (WTO). Quoting president XI, Wang underscored importance of openness explaining that to achieve human prosperity and advancement, the world should oppose exclusion. “Protectionism can only boomerang and decoupling and supply‑chain disruptions will hurt everyone,” explained Wang.

Wang called for global cooperation and opposing confrontation. “Our best strategy is to stick together and the only way forward is through win-win cooperation,” Wang noted. While acknowledging that it’s understandable and natural countries to have misunderstandings, it should not be a reason for confrontation stressing that through dialogue, such can be addressed. He stressed the need to “increase mutual understanding on basis of equality and respect. We should engage in dialogue, consultation, and win-win cooperation and reject conflict, coercion and zero-sum game. We should jointly reject group politics and block confrontation.”

Closer analysis of this view advanced by Wang Yi is that with cooperation, dialogue, respect for one another, cold war mentality and countries rejecting group politics and block confrontation, challenges such as conflicts that threaten global security can be avoided.

Further, Wang Yi mentioned strengthening solidarity, and opposing division as another way world can confront global challenges. Using analogy of passengers on the same ship, he described countries world-over as passengers. “Countries around the world are like passengers on the same ship who share a common stake. All of us should pull together to navigate the ship through storm toward a bright future. Our world must embrace diverse cavillation in order to make continuous advances and mankind must pursue an inclusive path in order to achieve modernization,” stated Wang Yi. He emphasized that democracy and human rights should not be used as tools to achieve political ends.

Wang underscored the need for fairness, equity and oppose bulling which he stressed all go against UN charter. Wang emphasised that “mutual respect and equity of all countries, big and small is a primary principle of UN charter.” He stressed that all international issues should be handled by all and in equal and respectful manner stressing that no country should be tolerated to abuse its power to bully other sovereign countries.

Regarding Ukraine-Russia crisis, Wang Yi called for urgent peace talks to resolve the conflict and expressed China’s full support for all efforts conducive to its peaceful resolution and emphasized the need for all parties to keep the crisis from “spilling over” and protect the legitimate rights and interests of other developing countries. Wang observed that a few countries have arbitrarily imposed unilateral sanctions affecting other countries’ interests.

On Taiwan question, Wang Yi emphasized that Taiwan has been an “inseparable part of China’s territory since ancient times”, and stressed that its “One China” policy has become a basic norm of the international relations and a consensus of the international community. Wang emphasized that Beijing would continue to work for the peaceful reunification with sincerity, but warned that, to realize this goal, it will combat separatist activities with the firmest resolve and take the most forceful steps to oppose external interference.  “Any move to obstruct China’s reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history,” noted Wang.

In conclusion, despite the world entering a “new phase of turbulence and change” as Wang observed, the six points Wang advanced can help as discussed above. This is largely due to the fact that much of today’s challenges are security related and Wang’s six points if analysed broadly, they tackle security concerns issues. Above all, the six points emphasise the need to respect and uphold to the principles of UN charter. Therefore, China’s address to world leaders during 77th UNGA offers leadership and hope for sustainable global security.

Allawi Ssemanda is a senior research fellow at Development Watch Centre.