US should join China in building a better Global South, not hinder it

Through the Belt and Road Initiative and trade, China is contributing to the development of the Global South, and winning hearts and minds as a result
US efforts to counter and contain China’s influence, on the other hand, are anachronistic, misguided and the product of a Cold War mentality

Zhou Xiaoming

Published: 5:30am, 3 Nov 2023

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US President Joe Biden was at it again recently when he accused China of leaving its partners “dead in the noose” on its Belt and Road Initiative. Nowadays, his administration is at pains to counter China’s influence in the developing world.

It has launched and relaunched an infrastructure funding plan for developing countries, now called the Global Investment and Infrastructure Partnership, rejoined Unesco, the UN’s heritage body, and is pushing regional economic initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework while boosting its military presence on the South Pacific Islands.

The Biden administration’s campaign to undercut China’s influence has a historic parallel. To contain the Soviet Union after the second world war, the US left no stone unturned in its quest for influence, employing means ranging from diplomacy and economic help to psychological warfare and military power.

But China differs from the Soviet Union in some fundamental aspects.

First, unlike the Soviet Union, China is not interested in exporting its ideology. Instead, China devotes itself to building a shared future for mankind, envisaging a world where all countries and peoples live in peace and prosperity.

Second, the Soviet Union was as interested in expanding its sphere of influence as the US and even supported its allies in proxy wars against America. In contrast, China’s engagement with other developing countries is concentrated in the economic and commercial fields.

Instead of military bases, China builds highways, railways, ports and schools to develop infrastructure, and nurtures trade and investment relationships. Consequently, it has become the largest trading partner for most developing countries, and the single largest foreign investor in many.

Washington’s campaign to contain Beijing’s influence is anachronistic and misguided. It is Cold War mentality at work.

But it would be only fair – and right – for host countries and peoples, not Washington or any other Western capitals, to decide if China’s “influence” should be purged – the comfort of the shoes should be for the wearer to judge.

The Belt and Road Initiative, China’s signature project for economic engagement with other developing countries, is a good test of how China is received in the Global South.

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Security tight in Chinese capital as foreign leaders arrive for Belt and Road Forum in Beijing

The Belt and Road Forum in Beijing last month was attended by representatives from over 150 countries, including more than 20 heads of state. And nearly 370 cooperation agreements or project deals were signed. This is a strong rebuttal of Washington’s “debt trap” accusations which, according to former Singapore diplomat Kishore Mahbubani, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Research Institute, amount to “pour[ing] poison” and “insulting the intelligence of the billions”.

The summit’s turnout and outcomes speak volumes about the popularity of the Belt and Road Initiative and, indeed, China’s economic and commercial engagement in general with other developing countries.

During my trip to East Africa in August, I saw some of the goodwill China receives in the Global South. In Ethiopia, a cement plant under construction with Chinese investment was identified by the African government as a top-priority project in allaying the pressing needs of the booming construction sector. In Tanzania, local workers affectionately called their Chinese engineers “brothers”.

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Addis Ababa road built by Chinese company aims to ease traffic woes in Ethiopian capital

The Biden administration views China’s popularity in the Global South as a threat to its centuries-old grip on poor countries. But is it reasonable for one guest to ask another to leave against the will of the host?

China has won hearts and minds across the developing world through its genuine interest in working with host countries for growth and development, for the opportunities it brings, and the benefits it provides in infrastructure development, job creation, technology transfer and local training.

Attacking China’s soft power and persuading nations to disengage equates to trying to deprive developing countries of the benefits. When a vaccine-hoarding Washington framed China’s supplying of Covid-19 vaccines to developing countries as “vaccine diplomacy”, for example, any country persuaded to reject Chinese vaccines would have been left with little or no access to the life-saving medicine.

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Taliban gets 800,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses as part of China’s aid to Afghanistan

Washington’s campaign to counter China’s influence is divisive and destructive for the Global South. The Biden administration often tries to sow division, creating conflict and pitting one group against another. It also attempts to drive a wedge between China and other countries to frustrate their cooperation in fostering economic growth.

The Malaysian government, for instance, has been pressured by Washington to exclude Huawei Technologies from its 5G infrastructure, on national security grounds.

From time to time, the Biden administration also makes funding promises to poor countries. But its pledges often turn out to be little more than lip service. Decades of US domination over global economic affairs had left the state of infrastructure in poor countries languishing – until China entered the picture.

The West should work with China to build infrastructure – not against it

And, even when some of Washington’s funding promises are realised, host countries’ interests are likely to play second fiddle to the White House’s geopolitical objectives. As a result, Washington’s drive to counter China’s influence would, in effect, work to cancel out the potential benefits of China-related programmes and projects.

Meanwhile, China has indicated its willingness to continue to work with all partners for the benefit of poor countries. Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently said the Belt and Road Initiative was a platform open to all.

Washington would do well to explore cooperation with China if it desires to be a positive force for development. Unfortunately, Biden’s recent jibe at the Belt and Road Initiative suggests otherwise.

Zhou Xiaoming is a senior fellow at the Centre for China and Globalisation in Beijing and a former deputy representative of China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva