The Global South in China-EU Relations: Differences in Outlook and Policy Comparisons

Following the return of Trump and the increasingly centrifugal tendencies of the EU’s relationship with the US, China and the EU should seek strategic points of convergence in a multipolar world.

Welcome to the 44th edition of our weekly newsletter! I’m SUN Chenghao, a fellow with the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University, Council Member of The Chinese Association of American Studies, a visiting scholar at Paul Tsai China Center of Yale Law School in 2024 and Munich Young Leader 2025.

ChinAffairsplus is a newsletter that shares articles by Chinese academics on topics such as China’s foreign policy, China-US relations, China-Europe relations, and more. This newsletter was co-founded by my research assistant, ZHANG Xueyu, and me.

Through carefully selected Chinese academic articles, we aim to provide you with key insights into the issues that China’s academic and strategic communities are focused on. We will highlight why each article matters and the most important takeaways. Questions and feedback can be addressed to sch0625@gmail.com

Today, we have selected an article written by Song Lilei on China-Europe Relations, which focuses on their Cognitive Differences and Policy Comparisons on the issue of the Global South.

Edited by ChinAffairs+.

Summary

The resurgence of the Global South has become a prominent topic of discussion in the domain of global political economy. Countries of the Global South now contribute more than developed economies to global GDP and play an increasingly influential role in global affairs. This shift reflects a transition from a previous focus on the arenas of “low politics” such as economic development, climate change, and transnational trade among the Global South, to active involvement in the domains of “high politics” like international security, regional conflicts, and multilateral diplomacy.

Both China and the European Union have responded to the collective rise of the Global South, yet there are marked differences in their approaches and policies. China views itself as a member of the Global South, emphasizing shared historical experiences and common challenges, and strives to promote development and revitalization through cooperation. In contrast, the EU largely approaches the Global South as an external observer and coordinator, offering aid and cooperation, but also imposing values and institutional norms.

This paper examines the differences in China’s and the EU’s understanding of and policies targeting the Global South, comparing their views and cooperation agendas, exploring the strategic goals, methods, and priorities of their engagements with the Global South, and analyzing the impact of the Global South’s autonomy on the future of China-EU relations.

Why It Matters

At the historic moment of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union in 2025, the strategic position of the Global South and the profound value of China-EU cooperation are becoming increasingly prominent. The collective voice of the Global South in international affairs is breaking traditional power structures as we speak.

According to data from the United Nations, countries in the Global South account for 70% of the global population and 50% of economic growth. Their united action on issues such as climate change and debt restructuring has become a significant driving force in shaping the international agenda. Meanwhile, against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s resurgence of unilateral policies, the stability and strategic autonomy of China-EU cooperation have become even more crucial. The United States is reinforcing its technological hegemony, while its imposition of tariffs on EU steel products further exposes its tendency to “instrumentalize” its allies.

In stark contrast, China and the EU have continued to deepen their cooperation in areas such as the green economy and digital governance, creating vast opportunities for collaboration with the broader Global South. In this era of uncertainty, the rise of the Global South and the deepening of China-EU relations are not only economic developments but also political choices that concern the future and destiny of humanity.

Key Points

1. Ontological Differences in China-EU Views of the Global South

• China: An Active Participant

China has consistently regarded itself as part of the Global South, grounding this view in its history, present realities, and future aspirations. China shares a similar historical experience with other Global South countries, having long fought Western colonial oppression and pursued national independence. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, China has placed great importance on fostering friendly relations with developing countries and has introduced widely accepted principles like the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which have significantly promoted South-South cooperation and the development of North-South relations. In the present context, China faces the same pressures as many other Global South nations in the face of global economic uncertainties, and it shares the mission of ensuring stable and sustained economic growth.

From being a mid-range developing country to becoming one of the largest developing economies today, China naturally belongs to the Global South. China’s initiatives such as BRICS, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative actively contribute to the development of the Global South, providing strong momentum, platforms for cooperation, and economic aid, thus gaining widespread support from numerous developing countries.

• Europe: A Passive Observer

After World War II, as former colonies gained independence, Europe faced the challenge of adapting to an unpredictable multipolar world while recognizing the rise of the Global South. At this time, the EU referred to the Global South as the Third World or the developing world, often employing a dichotomous view of “developed-underdeveloped” or “wealthy-poor.” During the Cold War, Europe’s Global South policies did not place equal emphasis on all of these states, focusing primarily on former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands.

Following the end of the Cold War, as the global order shifted from a bipolar to a multipolar structure, Europe began to recognize the growing influence of the Global South and the impact of its rise on global affairs. Europe’s approach to the Global South has been based on the objectives of exporting values, delivering aid, and fostering cooperation.

To this day, the EU maintains a Western-centric and European-centric worldview, in which the distinctions between “us” and “them,” deeply rooted in Orientalism and postcolonialism, continue to influence its policy. Beyond simple identity distinctions, the EU’s behaviors towards the Global South aim to shape geopolitical allegiances and solidify its position as a global actor. The EU has deliberately sought to exclude China, attempting to weaken China’s relationships with numerous developing countries and reduce its influence in the Global South. Dialogue between the EU and the Global South often focuses on issues like illegal immigration, anti-corruption efforts, and climate change, but it pays less attention to calls for the reform of multilateral institutions, for accelerating the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals, and for eliminating North-South inequalities.

2. Policy Differences Between China and the EU towards the Global South

Both China and the EU engage with the Global South, but their strategic goals, methods, and priorities differ significantly, reflecting their respective geopolitical interests, objectives, and values. In general, China’s overarching policy towards the Global South is one focusing on joint development, a shared future, and mutual respect, and it aims to build a community of shared interests, responsibilities, and fate with these nations. The EU, owing to its economic superiority, geopolitical competition, and historical path dependence, pursues policies that strengthen economic ties, are politically divisive, and impose norms.

• Economic Cooperation

China’s economic cooperation with the states of the Global South centers on trade and investment, infrastructure development, and technology-sharing projects. China has signed multiple free trade agreements with, expanded exports with, and provided duty-free treatment to various members of the Global South. New mechanisms like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the BRICS New Development Bank, and the Belt and Road Initiative have injected new vitality into the economic development of and livelihoods of individuals in developing countries. Additionally, China has facilitated South-South cooperation through initiatives like the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund and the South-South Cooperation and Development Academy, helping developing countries enhance their capacities and achieve independent development.

The EU’s cooperation with the Global South primarily focuses on aid and trade. Through free trade negotiations, the EU seeks to diversify its external trade relations, assert its dominance in values and standards, and increase the Global South’s dependency on its market, while also furthering its geopolitical objectives. Since the signing of the Cotonou Agreement in 2000, the EU has emphasized the principle of reciprocity by providing unilateral trade preferences to countries in the African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) regions, while accelerating free trade negotiations with other developing countries. In December 2021, the EU launched its “Global Gateway” initiative, viewing it as a tool to implement its diplomatic and security policies and compete with China’s Belt and Road Initiative for influence.

• Political Relations

China has strengthened its political relations with the Global South by promoting its Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative, fostering mutual trust through multilateral cooperation mechanisms. In practice, China has advanced the “1+N” dialogue and cooperation framework and promoted policies aimed at enhancing connectivity, trade facilitation, financial cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges, thereby building mutual trust with the Global South. China has also made strategic use of its veto power in the UN Security Council to create peaceful conditions in regions like Zimbabwe, Syria, and Bolivia, to provide humanitarian aid and support to the Global South, and to safeguard the common interests of many Global South countries.

In contrast, the EU’s positions on debt relief, climate change, and multilateral reforms have often led to increasing divergence with other parties. Furthermore, the EU’s double standards in conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine situations have attracted widespread international criticism, calling into question the morality and values that the EU claims to uphold. From the EU’s perspective, geopolitical competition and confrontation have become a reality, and its policies towards the Global South aim to shape alliances based on its geopolitical interests. The EU does not recognize China’s identity as a developing country and seeks to undermine China’s status as a Global South member, deepening internal differences within the Global South.

• Institutional Norms

China’s foreign policy consistently upholds the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and promotes the concept of a ‘community with a shared future for mankind’. China has maintained communication and coordination with African countries within the UN Security Council, advocating for multilateral governance reforms and supporting African nations’ increased representation, voice, and decision-making power in global governance. As part of the Belt and Road Initiative, China has organized over 4,000 training programs for officials from participating countries, fostering exchanges on aligning the initiative with regional development plans in developing countries.

The EU, positioning itself as a normative power, has increasingly emphasized human rights, environmental protection, and immigration-related restrictions, often imposing Western democratic principles, human rights norms, and good governance principles on the Global South through economic, political, and technological means. The EU has also enacted laws like the Green Deal, and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, providing a legal basis for “interfering” in the internal affairs of Global South countries. The EU’s failure to deliver on promises regarding refugee protections and the brutal treatment of refugees by border and coast guard forces has sparked strong backlash from North African and Middle Eastern states.

3. The Autonomy of the Global South and Its Impact on China-EU Relations

• The Autonomy of the Global South

On one hand, the core concern of countries in the Global South is development. These nations have long been marginalized in the global capitalist system and face challenges such as weak economic foundations and technological constraints in their pursuit of independence. At the same time, they benefit from globalization and the deepening of South-South cooperation. Amid global economic downturns, some countries in the Global South are confronted with further obstacles to achieving sustainable development goals as well as debt crises, making development cooperation a priority. On the other hand, there is an increasing willingness among states in the Global South to assert their voice in global governance, particularly in areas like climate change, and to push for reforms in the global political and economic system through regional partnerships and multilateral agreements.

• The Differing Strategies of China and the European Union

In addressing the issue of autonomy with reference to countries in the Global South, China and the EU have adopted different strategic paths. These approaches reflect their respective value orientations and interests, while also highlighting the profound geopolitical and economic competition on the global stage. China positions itself as a natural member of the Global South and adopts a “development partner” approach, supporting the independent development aspirations of developing countries. In contrast, the EU emphasizes strategic autonomy, seeking to reshape its relationship with Global South countries through an economic security agenda. The EU advocates an open policy of strategic autonomy, aiming to reduce its dependency on these countries for its supply chains and critical resources.

• Opportunities for Trilateral Cooperation

Currently, although countries in the Global South are characterized by significant internal disparities and diverse interests, they are gradually transitioning from fragmentation to unity, forming a collective force with international influence. In the face of a complex and volatile international situation, the majority of countries in the Global South are reluctant to align with any major power. Owing to conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine crises, they have increasingly questioned the dominant position of Western powers. These countries tend to favor constructing a multipolar international system that offers them various strategic options, and seek to gain a greater allocation of resources and a position of leadership in the international community. The rising strategic value of the Global South provides an opportunity for cooperation between China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the EU’s “Global Gateway” plan. This cooperation not only helps Southern countries formulate development strategies but also avoids unhealthy competition between China and the EU. Therefore, Global South countries view both China and the EU as key partners and hope to engage in third-party market cooperation with both.

• Expectations of States in the Global South for China and the EU

Countries in the Global South perceive their relationships with China and the EU as opportunities to diversify partnerships and reduce dependency on traditional Western powers. In this process, they actively safeguard their national interests and autonomy. These countries believe that as two significant global powers, China and the EU should play an active role in upholding multilateralism and promoting reforms in the global governance system, jointly fostering a more just, balanced, and democratic international order. The Global South also values economic cooperation with both China and the EU and looks to further develop these relationships. Its nations hope that China and the EU will be strong supporters of South-South cooperation, working together to advance the socio-economic development of developing countries.

Conclusion

At present, the significance of China-EU relations has become more pronounced, while their complexity and contradictions have become increasingly evident. While heeding the EU’s strategic anxiety toward China and its alignment with the United States in attempting to exclude China from the Global South, China must actively respond to the EU’s advocacy for value and norm exports to the Global South. Nevertheless, 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between China and the EU. Despite the challenges faced in recent years, both sides remain willing to continue the tradition of friendly cooperation established over the past five decades. There is mutual interest in supporting the development of states in the Global South, promoting South-South cooperation, and jointly addressing global challenges. Following the return of Trump and the increasingly centrifugal tendencies of the EU’s relationship with the US, China and the EU should seek strategic points of convergence in a multipolar world.

Given the significant disparities within the Global South in terms of economic development, political systems, social structures, and cultural backgrounds, the development pathways and speeds of different countries and regions vary. This creates challenges for overall cooperation and coordination within the Global South. Consequently, China and the EU must adopt a more rigorous and in-depth approach when cooperating with countries in the Global South. It is essential to continue exploring new avenues for cooperation and promote the construction of a more open and flexible cooperation model, driven by the Global South and based on the modernization experiences of countries like China.

About the Author

SONG Lilei宋黎磊: a Professor at the School of Political Science and International Relations at Tongji University, serving concurrently as Deputy Director of the European Studies Center, and a Researcher at the German Studies Center of Tongji University. Her main research areas are China-Europe relations and EU diplomacy.

About the Publication

The Chinese version of this article is published in Contemporary China and World(《当代中国与世界》). It is a think tank journal sponsored by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies, under the supervision of the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration. The main purpose of this magazine is to study the relationship between China and the world in the new era, focus on major practical issues in foreign affairs work, and build a platform for ideological exchange and dialogue between China and foreign countries.