GT survey shows respondents from 12 countries see China as top contributor to Global South’s development, unity

Editor's Note:

The 16th BRICS Summit is being held in Kazan, Russia from Tuesday to Thursday, attracting worldwide attention, with the role of Global South countries being highlighted on the international stage. Recently, the Global Times Institute (GTI) conducted a public opinion survey on topics related to the Global South and BRICS. The survey found that over 80 percent of respondents believe that BRICS countries can represent the Global South in voicing concerns on the international stage. Meanwhile, nearly 90 percent of respondents from Global South countries agree that China's development experience has demonstrative and reference significance for other Global South countries.

BRICS attraction

From August 14 to September 19, the GTI conducted a public opinion survey on topics related to Global South countries and BRICS in 11 developing countries, including China, South Africa, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Kenya, Egypt, Peru, Malaysia, and Thailand, as well as Russia. The survey targeted respondents aged 18 to 70 and utilized various methods of data collection, including online panel, CATI, and face-to-face interviews. A total of 10,334 valid questionnaires were collected.

The survey showed that over 80 percent of respondents in 12 countries believe that BRICS countries can represent the Global South in international discourse. The recognition rates are highest among the three BRICS member countries: China (95 percent), India (93 percent), and South Africa (91 percent). Thailand, Malaysia, Egypt, Kenya, and Brazil also have recognition rates exceeding 80 percent.

The BRICS cooperation mechanism is viewed by many observers as an important platform for emerging market countries and developing nations to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and to safeguard common interests. In January, BRICS countries expanded, with dozens of other countries having applied or expressed interest in joining BRICS, according to public reports.

Wang Youming, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times that at the beginning of this century, emerging economies represented by BRICS rose to prominence, leading to a shift in the international power structure. However, the existing institutional power framework has not changed accordingly; the over-representation of Western countries in international affairs and the under-representation of Global South countries remain unchanged.

"The Global South seeks to alter the imbalance of international power, and the emergence of BRICS aligns perfectly with this demand. The Global South hopes to ride the 'BRICS Express' to explore a new mechanism for dialogue that corresponds with their scale," Wang said.

Rafael Gontijo, a senior advisor of the Brazilian government, told the Global Times that he believes BRICS has a crucial role in promoting a multipolar order. "The expansion in the number of members demonstrates that the group's mission is being successfully fulfilled," he noted.

As for the five non-BRICS countries in the survey, more than half of the respondents in each country supported their nation's application to join the BRICS mechanism. Among them, Kenya had the highest support rate at 83 percent, while Pakistan's support rate was nearly 80 percent.

Meanwhile, in the survey of the seven BRICS member states, the public generally held an open attitude toward further expansion of BRICS, with more than half of the respondents in each country believing that expansion is necessary. Among them, Chinese respondents had the highest approval rate for expansion at 86 percent, followed by South Africa at 82 percent.

According to respondents from 12 countries, the main reason for the popularity of the BRICS mechanism is that it can promote economic development, with nearly 60 percent of respondents agreeing with this reason.

In recent years, BRICS countries have been exploring and developing a settlement system that is not controlled by the US, using their own currencies or neutral currencies for transactions.

The poll shows that nearly 70 percent of respondents in the 12 countries believe that BRICS countries need to establish a new settlement system for international trade settlements and payments among themselves. Among them, the agreement rate in China is 84 percent, while India's agreement rate is close to 80 percent. The agreement rates in Kenya, Egypt, Pakistan, Malaysia, and South Africa are all above 70 percent.

Xu Feibiao, director of the Center for BRICS and G20 Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times that the BRICS mechanism provides a multilateral platform for Global South countries to voice their opinions and express their demands, fulfilling their aspirations for a fair and just international environment.

"On specific issues, relevant countries can propose their own solutions through the BRICS mechanism. In terms of development, BRICS countries have put forward multiple 'BRICS solutions' focusing on the digital economy, trade, investment, and infrastructure construction, achieving fruitful results in promoting new industrial revolution partnerships, payment systems, the New Development Bank, and emergency reserve arrangements," Xu introduced.

A fairer global order
According to the survey result, nearly 90 percent of respondents believe that the rise in international status of the Global South can or may lead to a more just and reasonable international order.

Regarding the specific role of the Global South in the international order, mainstream public opinion points to promoting an equal and regulated international order, with nearly 60 percent of respondents from 12 countries holding this view.

Xu told the Global Times, "The Global South countries have three major advantages: First, they have scale advantages in terms of the number of countries, population, and economy; second, they possess resource advantages; and third, they have growth prospects, representing the future of the global economy."

The polls revealed that the potential of Global South countries is highly recognized. Specifically, the potential of the Global South to drive global economic growth is the most acknowledged, with 75 percent of respondents believing it has "great potential" or "potential."

The Global South is also recognized for its potential to promote cultural exchanges, develop natural resources, maintain global peace and security, and engage in energy cooperation, with approval rates no less than 70 percent.

In recent years, Western discourse has frequently mentioned the Global South. When asked why the West has suddenly taken an interest in the Global South, a South African Gen Zer interviewee believed that "Western countries want to obtain the natural resources of Global South countries." A Kenyan post-80s interviewee shared a similar view. Additionally, a 70-year-old interviewee from Malaysia stated that this is because the Global South represents a huge market.

Valuable insights
Nearly 90 percent of respondents from Global South countries agree that China's experiences offer valuable insights for other Global South countries.

The BRICS development model provides Global South nations with opportunities to choose development paths suited to their own conditions, offering an alternative to the notion that globalization equates to Americanization or modernization equals Westernization.

The survey highlighted eight countries, including China, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil, Turkey, and Indonesia. When asked which countries could most effectively empower the Global South, China ranked first, by a significant margin. Similarly, when asked which countries could unite the Global South the most, China again led by a notable margin.

Xu told the Global Times, "A recognized leader among Global South countries must possess several qualities: Political independence from the West, respect for all countries, the willingness to speak for the Global South in international forums, and a commitment to providing public goods and pursuing shared development. Moreover, this leader must have strong comprehensive capabilities in politics, the economy, and governance, and be able to offer economic opportunities, investments, and resources."

In June, at the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, China unveiled the "Beijing Declaration of the Conference Marking the 70th Anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence," which announced several initiatives to support Global South cooperation. These include establishing a Global South Research Center, providing 1,000 "Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence" scholarships, offering 100,000 training opportunities, and launching a Global South Youth Leaders Program over the next five years.

The survey showed that over half of the respondents from countries other than China expressed a willingness to participate in training at the Global South Research Center, with about 20 percent indicating they would consider it.

Additionally, nearly 90 percent of respondents from Global South countries recognize that China's development experience serves as a model and offers valuable lessons for other Global South nations. Among them, Kenya had the highest recognition rate at 95 percent, followed by South Africa and India at 91 percent. In Egypt and Malaysia, the recognition rate was close to 90 percent, while the support rates in other surveyed countries were also near or above 80 percent.

"Global South countries are looking to learn from China's economic development model, and many are also keen to understand China's governance practices. As a large multi-ethnic country, China's ability to achieve harmony and stability is of great interest to others," Xu further noted.

A report from the International Finance Forum revealed that China's contribution to global economic growth in 2023 was 32 percent, making it the world's largest growth engine. When asked if China's rapid development presents more opportunities for Global South countries, nearly 90 percent of respondents expressed a positive view, with 42 percent seeing "many opportunities" and 45 percent seeing "some opportunities."

Kenya had the highest percentage of positive responses at 96 percent, while the figures in South Africa, India, Egypt, and Malaysia were also around 90 percent, and in Thailand, Pakistan, Brazil, and Peru, the figure exceeded 80 percent.

"The 'Chinese Path to Modernization' has become an inspiration for Global South countries. They admire that China has avoided the colonial expansion path of the West and is working to modernize while addressing poverty for over a billion people. They are also curious about how China has achieved such high-tech advancements despite Western containment," Wang said.

"Many Global South countries aspire to join the BRICS family to learn from China's experiences, attract Chinese investments, adopt Chinese technology and standards, and expand into BRICS markets to ultimately reduce their dependency on the West," he said.