THE geopolitical dynamics of 2024 underscored a world in flux. From the relentless Russia-Ukraine war to mounting tensions in the South China Sea, external provocations have fueled global uncertainty. Yet, amidst the turbulence, China has maintained a steady hand, leveraging its resilience to foster an environment conducive to high-quality development. By projecting stability in a fragmented world, Beijing has reinforced its role as a crucial pillar for global equilibrium. China’s growing influence within the Global South signals a shift in the global balance of power. Once a marginalized bloc, the Global South is now ascending, with Beijing at its forefront. Through initiatives promoting peace and sustainable development, China has amplified its leadership in shaping a multipolar world.
This rise has not gone unnoticed in Washington, where a waning unipolar dominance faces unprecedented challenges. For decades, the United States wielded unparalleled global power, but China’s ascent has forced a recalibration of this dynamic. Determined to maintain its primacy, the US appears intent on curbing China’s ambitions, a strategy that reflects an entrenched resistance to relinquishing its status as the world’s preeminent power. In the days of the Cold War, the world was divided into two camps and the Non-Aligned Movement emerged as a third force. Back then, it was about politics – an assertion by the Global South that it wouldn’t be co-opted by either side. The South had its own priorities, its own problems and a fierce desire for independence. But today, the conversation has shifted. The battleground isn’t ideology anymore; it’s economics.
Take the ripple effects of sanctions on China, for example. When trade routes are obstructed, it’s the South that often pays the price. For countries striving to grow, these economic pressures are more than inconvenient – they’re devastating. This is why the idea of a united Global South is gaining traction again, but with a modern twist. It’s not just about saying “no” to the North; it’s about building enough economic strength to chart an independent path. The South, after all, shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of decisions made elsewhere. To balance the scales, it must come together, leveraging collective power to reject unilateral impositions. In this era, solidarity isn’t just a lofty ideal; it’s an economic necessity for a fairer, more resilient world order.
The West must recognize that constant pressure on the Global South is neither sustainable nor fair. The Global South, with its unique challenges and aspirations, seeks a balanced approach – not alignment with either the East or the West. For these nations, trade and access to both spheres are vital for fostering growth and development. Losing economic ties with either bloc would ripple through their economies, stalling progress and destabilizing futures. However, the Global South is still in the process of coalescing into a unified voice. As this collective takes shape, there’s a pressing need for structured collaboration to evaluate and respond to the North’s actions. This would empower these nations to manage the complexities of global power struggles while protecting their own interests. The path forward for the Global South lies in building strength through unity, ensuring their economic and developmental priorities cannot be overlooked.
Globalization, with its promises of borderless trade and free markets, remains a distant dream. The world is still divided into three distinct factions – the East, West and South – each navigating its own interests under the guise of shared ideals. Western powers, while championing free trade in rhetoric, routinely contradict this principle. Sanctions, often wielded as tools of economic dominance, are the antithesis of open markets. They stifle competition and undermine the very foundations of globalization. Take the United States, for instance. Its advocacy for free trade rings hollow when selective tariffs are applied to imports from rival nations. True free trade demands fair competition, yet the US finds it challenging to match China’s economic dynamism. With its 1.4 billion consumers and vast manufacturing capabilities, China thrives in global trade, exposing the inefficiencies and higher costs entrenched in the US economy. In response, Washington resorts to punitive measures – sanctions and heightened tariffs – designed to curb China’s rise.
Such actions reveal the fragility of the free trade narrative. A genuine commitment to globalization requires multilateral engagement through institutions like the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. These platforms, devoid of superpower dominance, could establish equitable trade policies, including fair tax levels, to address disparities. Only through cooperation can the global community dismantle the barriers of protectionism and foster a truly competitive, inclusive market. Until then, globalization remains more myth than reality, a vision clouded by the self-interest of its loudest proponents.
The rise of the Global South is exemplified by the increasing influence of BRICS, a once modest economic alliance that has grown into a formidable platform for political and security cooperation. In many ways, BRICS represents a challenge to the dominance of Western-led institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. With its emphasis on reshaping global governance, BRICS signals a shift toward a multipolar world where power is shared more equitably among emerging and established nations. At the heart of this transformation is China, whose leadership within BRICS has been both ambitious and strategic.
Beijing has championed efforts to establish alternatives to Western frameworks, notably through the New Development Bank. This institution focuses on providing infrastructure financing and supporting sustainable development projects—crucially, without the stringent conditionalities that have long been a hallmark of Western lenders. What makes this evolution particularly striking is its timing, occurring at a moment when traditional global powers appear divided and uncertain in their strategies. For BRICS nations, this is an opportunity to assert their vision of a fairer, more inclusive international system. Yet, whether this vision can fully materialize depends on whether these nations can maintain unity in their shared push for a rebalanced world order.
—The writer is political analyst, based in Karachi.
immhza6@gmail.com
