The “Global South” is a term and theoretical issue which has been hotly discussed in international public opinion and academic research. In reality, it is a term which is influencing the ongoing changes in the world order and aglobal governance. Nonetheless, currently there does not exist a wide consensus in the international community on the meaning and make-up of the “Global South,” a group of countries in the international community that have clear shared commonalities.
As the author’s analysis points out, the “Global South” is not an international organization or political group, but rather a group of countries with varying demands, development levels, cultural traditions and values. Nonetheless, the “Global South” does have distinctive interests, “shared DNA,” anti-colonial and anti-imperialist histories, and are committed to an independent development path. They also all call for multi-polarity, oppose hegemony, and aim to achieve justice.
In the current international community, both the United States and Western and European countries, as well as the countries of the South themselves, aim to dominate the “Global South” on both the discursive and practical levels in order to serve their particular strategic interests. Thus, there is not only a discursive conflict behind the “Global South,” but also a game of power.
In order to express China’s understanding of and stance towards the Global South, Wang Yi, Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CCP), attended the Meeting of BRICS National Security Advisers and High Representatives on National Security held in Johannesburg on July 25, 2023. Wang Yi suggested four procedures to strengthen cooperation between the Global South: “First, we must eliminate conflict and build collective peace; second, we must jointly revitalize vitality and promote development; Third, we must be open; Fourth, we must jointly unite, discuss and cooperate.”
All the countries in the vast Middle East region, which extends from Afghanistan in the east to Morocco in the west, – with the exception of Israel which has a relatively high level of economic development and is a strong ally of the West – can be classified as part of the “Global South”. This region not only has a deep history, but its importance also lies in the fact that it holds an important practical value regionally and internationally.
The Historical Logic of the Middle East as an important part of the “Global South”:
The Middle East is an important cradle of human civilization and has made significant contributions to human society throughout history. In the modern era, with the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the expansion of Western colonialism, the Middle East has become a Western colony. The system in the Middle East is influenced by the Western-dominated international system and has clear characteristics of dependency. This has been true whether during direct colonial rule and the indirect mandate rule, or during the Cold War, where it was deeply influenced by Eastern and Western ideologies and social systems, not to mention the Western-backed “democratization” processes or the strong intervention of neoliberalism in the region’s political life and economic development process after the Cold War. All of the above has made the development path of Middle Eastern countries highly dependent on external factors.
First, Middle Eastern states have formed the political backdrop for the Global South in their long-standing struggles for national liberation and independence. In the nineteenth century, Middle Eastern states struggled relentlessly for national independence and emancipation until the twentieth century, and it was not until the 1970s that the independent nation-state system in the Middle East was formed.
Second, Middle Eastern countries have been relentlessly pursuing the goals of development and revival, the historic mission of the “Global South,” throughout their modernization process, from the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century, to the reform movement in Egypt, to the national democratic revolutions in Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Afghanistan, and other Middle Eastern countries in the first half of the twentieth century. These countries have gone through stages of exploring different development paths, such as nationalism, capitalism, socialism, and the Islamic revival period in the Middle East after World War II. After experiencing the failure of Western neoliberalism and the pain of the “Arab Uprisings,” these countries have formulated new development plans and visions.
Third, the shared propositions of the “Global South” are the principles of fairness and justice. Middle Eastern countries have themselves widely participated in developing countries’ struggle to establish a new political and economic international order in order to achieve fairness and justice. The “Third World” as the “Global South” has gradually developed into an important force on the international stage since the 1950s, especially with the convening of the Afro-Asian (Bandung) Conference and the rise of some African countries. The Aligned Movement, which served as a framework for the rise of the countries of the South, is an important milestone in these nations’ development, and has played an important role in promoting the establishment of a new international organization with a just and reasonable political and economic order.
The Practical Value of the Middle East as an important part of the “Global South”:
First, the countries of the Middle East are an important independent power among the Global South, according to the author. Since the modern era, Western colonialism, hegemonic and imperialist forces, and policies of force have intervened in and dominated the Middle East in the political, economic, military and cultural domains. Invasions and penetration have made the nation-state system in the Middle East subject to characteristics of external coercion and systematic dependency.
In recent years, with the changes in the power structure of the major actors in the international system, the influence of the great powers on the Middle East has become more diverse and balanced. As a result, regional states’ independence has increased and the Middle East has manifested positive changes that deserve appreciation. Likewise, the status of Middle East nations in the global energy and geopolitical scene has rapidly increased, strengthening its strategic confidence. The Middle East’s independence has also made it form an important “middle zone” to protect the stability of the global strategic pattern.
Secondly, Middle Eastern nations are an important power among the Global South for protecting global and regional security. The West has long adopted policies of “divide and conquer,” military intervention, and proxy wars to intervene in the Middle East. The Middle East’s regional and border conflicts, geopolitical conflicts, and religious and ethnic disputes are extremely complicated, leading to endless conflict and increasing the region’s hot issues. Great power competition in the Middle East has shifted towards focusing the attention of these powers to international strategy since the decline of the “Arab Uprisings,” as Arab countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have worked to manage their own relationships. The situation in the Middle East has seen the return of relations between some of its countries and the dominance of calm dialogue between Arab countries and Syria after long years of severed relations. This has resulted in positive interactions which could lead to strengthening peaceful development in the Middle East region.
Third, Middle Eastern states are an important partner in international development cooperation efforts with the nations of the Global South. The essence of cooperation with the Global South nations is to put development at the center of the international agenda, strengthen international consensus on it, protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, revitalize and create new momentum for global development cooperation, and encourage developed countries to effectively fulfill their aid commitments so that the outcomes of development benefit more people across the world. When it comes to promoting development, Middle Eastern states have a strong desire for development, and are an important partner in efforts at development cooperation with Global South nations.
On the other hand, Middle Eastern states have become important partners in international development for BRICS countries and other nations of the Global South. At present, BRICS has become the most powerful and dynamic international development cooperation mechanism in the “Global South.”
Additionally, the diversity and superiority of civilizations in the Middle East also makes its countries an important partner for the Global South, as both parties look forward to learning from each other’s civilizations and exchanging governance experiences, especially as Middle Eastern nations have long suffered from external influences and foreign intervention.
In conclusion, Middle Eastern nations form shared characteristics with Global South nations in their pursuit of independence and development, and their current and future cooperation with the Global South. They are also an important part which cannot be ignored, playing an indispensable role in safeguarding global strategic stability, maintaining global and regional security, and promoting global development cooperation in the ongoing new round of changes in global governance patterns. Middle Eastern states will undoubtedly expand the voice and representation of Global South nations, and make greater contributions to protecting the legitimate development rights and common interests of developing countries.
Critical Reflections:
In this article, we are dealing with a somewhat new concept, the Global South, which is relatively synonymous with BRICS. This is an innovative term that reflects the essential views held by senior Chinese experts, who represent China’s political mind and Chinese policy makers who contribute to directing academic public opinion at the international level to be in accordance with the vision of the CCP. They are also known for creating modern concepts and terms to serve China’s political vision. The article provides us with several ideas about the future of the new world order that China desires. It also provides the strategies drawn up by the senior leaders of the CCP to guide representatives of the Chinese Foreign Ministry towards a vision in line with that of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
On the other hand, the article provides us with a clear map of the strategic thought related to the Middle East, and provides all of the important points expressing its importance. It also provides the idea of the “Global South” and explains it with data consistent with China’s project known as the “Belt and Road” project, attributing it to the BRICS group, explaining China’s ambitions in attracting Arab nations within the new world order and using them to confront the West’s march in the region. My opinion is that the article magnifies China’s diplomatic role in solving the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East region. I also view that the theses of Chinese experts, such as those expressed in this article, aim to push Arab decision makers to the conviction that China is the only option for Arab and Muslim countries; as such pushing Muslim and Arab public opinion towards the necessity of forming a strong economic and political bloc with China, to confront the West which is fiercely competing with it under the United States’ leadership.
As such, as a researcher familiar with the Chinese academic environment, I would like to alert readers to the presence of a severe censorship enforced on academic circles in China by the government; this is an inescapable reality in China. This article most likely reflects the reality of the directives of the Chinese president and the Chinese Foreign Affairs office. Chinese research articles and similar articles are close to being mere political scenarios and a form of academic propaganda to direct public opinion- especially the elite of Arab countries- in a form wanted by the CCP.