China’s choice not to be a bloc ‘leader’ represents a strategic, long-term decision anchored in cultural tradition, historical memory, national interests and a keen grasp of contemporary trends

As the notion of the Global South gains momentum in international discourse, the role of China, the world’s largest developing country and a pivotal member of this diverse bloc, has attracted widespread attention — and considerable misunderstanding. Some international observers have endeavored to frame China as the “leader” or “spokesperson” of the Global South. Yet this narrative is grossly misleading. In reality, China has positioned itself as a natural member and steadfast partner of the Global South, functioning as an equal collaborator, systemic connector and agenda coordinator rather than aspiring for any hegemonic leadership. China’s strategic choice is to serve as a unique “bridge” spanning three dimensions: ideas, platforms and communication.

China’s rejection of a leadership role is rooted deeply in its diplomatic principles and historical experience. Its foreign policy fundamentally rejects hierarchical power structures. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence — mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence — form the cornerstone of China’s diplomacy, inherently opposing dominance and subordination. The traditional concept of tianxia (all under heaven) envisions a world order of harmony, not hierarchy. China aims to be a vital node within a network of interdependence, facilitating exchange rather than commanding authority. Moreover, China’s history as a semi-colony since the 1840 Opium War has instilled a deep aversion to hegemonism and unequal international systems. Having suffered under the center-periphery model, China understands how such dynamics weaken peripheral states. To become a new “center” risks repeating these dependencies. China’s commitment to “never seeking hegemony” is not just modesty but a strategic resolve shaped by history.

Furthermore, the Global South itself resists centralized leadership. Comprising over 130 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Oceania, this group boasts immense diversity in history, culture, political systems, economic development levels and core interests. Small island states prioritize climate resilience differently from resource-rich inland nations; emerging economies may diverge from the least developed countries on trade liberalization. The strength of the Global South lies precisely in this diversity, rendering any single “leader” impracticable and unlikely to be welcomed. China respects this reality, engaging through inclusive multilateral frameworks — the G77 and China, BRICS, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and China-CELAC Forum — all rooted in consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, not Chinese dominance. Notably, the BRICS rotating presidency — epitomized by India’s 2026 tenure focusing on inclusive growth and sustainability — underscores the mechanism’s equal, polycentric essence, a stark contrast to claims of a China-led bloc.

China’s bridge role finds expression in three core functions. As a bridge of ideas, China links its development experience with other developing countries’ modernization endeavors, providing a reference point rather than imposing rigid models. For decades, developing nations were presented with a singular “one-size-fits-all” solution: the Western liberal market economy and multiparty democracy. China’s success demonstrates that modernization is not a one-way street. Through the Belt and Road Initiative, China shares experiences in incremental reform, targeted poverty reduction, industrialization and social governance while tailoring cooperation to partners’ specific needs. Projects such as the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone and the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway are critical infrastructures that have bolstered local capacity for self-sustained development — “teaching people to fish” rather than “merely giving them fish”.

As a bridge of platforms, China links developing nations’ aspirations to the global governance architecture. The post-World War II order, long dominated by Western powers, has a “governance deficit” that marginalizes developing countries’ interests. China pushes for reform of the international financial institutions to amplify their voice and voting power, while establishing the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank as complementary mechanisms. The NDB’s 2022-26 strategy targets $30 billion in approvals — 40 percent for climate initiatives and expanded local currency financing — directly responding to key Global South priorities: sustainable development funding and currency risk mitigation. In climate governance, China upholds the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities”, committing to peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060 while safeguarding developing nations’ right to development and urging developed countries to fulfill their financial and technical support obligations. The historic BRICS expansion, welcoming Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia, reinforces China’s commitment to forging inclusive platforms, not exclusive blocs.

As a bridge of communication, China synergizes South-South cooperation with North-South dialogue. Amid escalating geopolitical competition, China rejects the perilous narrative that portrays the Global South’s ascent as a confrontation with the Global North. Instead, China promotes constructive engagement. The 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges — with nearly 600 planned activities — exemplifies the deepening of South-South cooperation. Simultaneously, China is leveraging its position in the G20 to facilitate North-South coordination, notably assuming a pivotal mediating role in the Debt Service Suspension Initiative during the pandemic, coordinating traditional creditors, emerging creditors and debtor nations to stabilize the global financial system.

Detractors contend that China “shirks leadership responsibilities” or practices “strategic ambiguity”. This misinterprets the exacting demands of the bridge role. Building effective bridges requires greater diplomatic acumen, resource commitment and strategic forbearance than nominal leadership. It demands understanding diverse interests, integrating competing proposals and forging consensus through patient dialogue — far more arduous than issuing unilateral diktats. In an era of intensifying great power rivalry and risks of fragmentation, China’s bridge role serves as a crucial stabilizer. It offers Global South countries a new pathway beyond “forced alignment” — one rooted in sovereign independence and pragmatic cooperation. When supply chains face politically motivated disruptions, China maintains market openness. When multilateralism erodes, China upholds the UN-centered international system.

Looking ahead, China will continue collaborating with Global South partners through frameworks such as the G77 and China, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to reform and refine — not upend — the international order. Priorities include crafting equitable rules for digital governance and artificial intelligence, fortifying global financial safety nets and deepening South-South cooperation on green development, public health and food security.

The portrayal of China as the “leader” of the Global South is a reductive misinterpretation. China’s choice to be a bridge rather than a leader represents a strategic, long-term decision anchored in cultural tradition, historical memory, national interests and a keen grasp of contemporary trends. This choice respects the Global South’s aspirations for sovereignty and independence, demonstrates genuine commitment to global peace and development, and embodies a new type of major-country statesmanship that transcends traditional power politics. The bridge epitomizes connectivity, dialogue, cooperation and mutual benefit — it signifies responsibility without hegemony, empowerment without domination and inclusivity without exclusivity. As the Global South ascends, China stands poised as a sturdy, reliable and unimpeded bridge, helping nations surmount development gaps, unite aspirations and jointly build a community with a shared future for humanity.

The author is a professor at the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. 

The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.