Chinese President Xi Jinping is leading a renewed push to support the modernization of the Global South through practical cooperation and sustainable development. A cornerstone of this approach is poverty alleviation an issue Xi has championed since his early political career.
Ahead of Xi’s state visit to Brazil late last year, the Portuguese edition of his book Up and Out of Poverty was launched in Rio de Janeiro. First published in 1992, the book details Xi’s grassroots efforts in the formerly impoverished prefecture of Ningde in Fujian, China. His philosophy that even a “weaker bird can start early and fly high” continues to resonate among leaders of developing nations.
Xi’s leadership has overseen China’s unprecedented eradication of absolute poverty in rural areas. At the G20 Summit in Rio, he underscored this achievement as evidence that other developing countries can also succeed. “If China can make it, other developing countries can make it too,” he said, reinforcing China’s role as a model for the Global South.
Key to Xi’s global vision is the idea that development is the “master key” to solving most problems. In 2021, he proposed the Global Development Initiative at the United Nations General Assembly. The initiative, aimed at accelerating sustainable growth worldwide, has since gained the support of over 100 countries and 20 international organizations.
Xi is also driving forward the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has funded large-scale infrastructure projects in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. From the Chancay Port in Peru to the Colombo Port City in Sri Lanka, these ventures are designed to foster economic self-reliance among developing nations.
Further, Xi encourages Global South countries to pursue modernization paths that reflect their unique national conditions, rather than following Western development models. At the G20, he announced eight new measures to support Global South cooperation, including expanded BRI partnerships and increased African development aid.
“China can play a positive role,” said Gu Qingyang, associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. “Its technology and industrial expertise can support regional modernization.”
Xi’s message is clear: No country should be left behind on the path to progress.
