Constructive alignments

Detailed summary

Enshrined in the South-South cooperative principles, China-Latin American collaboration should be understood as a new version of international development cooperation. The Human…

China's development is reshaping international cooperation as shown by its engagement with Latin America

Enshrined in the South-South cooperative principles, China-Latin American collaboration should be understood as a new version of international development cooperation. The Human Development Report 2013 pointed to the rise of the Global South as the harbinger of a new and diverse world. The Bandung Spirit, which emerged from the 1955 Bandung Conference and embodies the ideal of solidarity cooperation, has seen reinvigorated strength in the 21st century.

South-South cooperation is not exclusive but an alternative and a different kind of arrangement for international development cooperation. On the one hand, developing countries should manage South-South cooperation as horizontal, mutually beneficial collaboration among equals. On the other hand, the traditional North-South cooperation, where most of the financing and technology transfers come from, is often called vertical due to the asymmetrical capacities between countries and should be cherished as well.

Nonetheless, since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, there have been major changes in the system of international development cooperation, with a focus on the Global South. China has put into practice win-win cooperation based on an innovative partnership model, which features inclusive mechanisms (for all countries, but especially for developing ones) and comprehensive capacity-building, and is guided by overarching principles stated in white papers for transparency and accountability, such as those on green development and more just and equitable global governance.

Since the release of the white paper "China's International Development Cooperation in the New Era" in 2021, China has embedded its international development cooperation in the vision of building a global community with a shared future, which is practically promoted by the BRI.

Opening of the article, excerpted from China Daily. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.