Group photo of scholars at the conference in Guangzhou on August 23, 2025. (Photo: IPP)
The 12th International Conference of the Institute of Public Policy (IPP) at South China University of Technology closed on August 23 in Guangzhou.
Themed "Reshaping Modernization: China and the Global South," the conference gathered scholars from around the world and focused on three major issues: Global Development in Transition, Transformation of World Economic Structure and Global Governance, and China and the Global South in the Multipolar Era.
China in an era of profound transformation
Zheng Yongnian delivers his welcome remarks at the conference in Guangzhou on August 23, 2025.
Zheng Yongnian, Chair of the IPP Academic Committee and convener of the conference, noted that in the past few decades, modernization was primarily achieved through Western experience. The Global South has emerged as a new force for development, continuously pursuing its own unique development path.
He further stated that it is vital to promote mutual learning between China and the Global South and to jointly build a more resilient model of modernization. He expressed hope that through the in-depth discussions of participating scholars, the conference could help us better understand how these new models of modernization will profoundly reshape our world.
The scene of Jeffrey Sachs delivering a keynote speech online in Guangzhou on August 23, 2025. (Photo: IPP)
"We are now living in an era full of changes. Every country, every society, and the international order in the world are undergoing profound transformation," emphasized Jeffrey Sachs, economist and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University.
In his keynote speech titled "The World in 2050: Some Quantitative Perspectives," Sachs listed five key transformations the future world will face: the convergence of economy and technology, shifts in military power, ecological crises, the digital revolution, and demographic shifts.
He emphasized that to achieve sustainable development, "we must undergo profound transformations in energy, agriculture, and cities." China has demonstrated exceptional productivity in green and digital technologies, becoming a major global technology supplier.
Lastly, Sachs called for strengthened cooperation among countries worldwide, warning that "an excessively low level of global cooperation will become the greatest obstacle to sustainable development."
Nikita Sud answers questions from the audience at the conference in Guangzhou on August 23, 2025. (Photo: IPP)
Tracing the origin of the Global South, Nikita Sud, Professor of Development Politics at the University of Oxford, pointed out that it was formed within a geographical landscape shaped by European colonial history and apartheid.
While post-colonial nations have experienced diverse developmental trajectories, they are generally structurally disadvantaged by their histories of exploitation. Global South countries have long leveraged their collective identity to advocate for climate reparations in global climate governance.
She focused on the role of the Global South as a "strategic alliance" on the international stage, analyzing the challenges facing countries and societies in the group in critical climate scenarios in Asian countries, including China.
Voices from ASEAN on Global South
Scholars from ASEAN member countries contributed significantly to the issue of "China and the Global South in the Multipolar Era," as ASEAN has been regarded as a critical part of this expanding group.
Evi Fitriani listens to a scholar's speech at the conference in Guangzhou on August 23, 2025.
Evi Fitriani, Professor of International Relations at the University of Indonesia, noted that her country's economic development has shown that its position in the Global South is deeply influenced by its own progress. The internal challenges brought about by a difficult political transition and complex socio-economic development have limited Indonesia's ability to continue playing a role in the Global South.
Despite these challenges, Fitriani stated that Indonesia has built a broad and multidimensional cooperation network in the multipolar world, maintaining friendly relations with both the Global South and the Global North while engaging with countries in the East and the West. Throughout this process, Indonesia's independent and proactive foreign policy has played a crucial role, as she observed.
Narut Charoensri listens to a scholar's speech at the conference in Guangzhou on August 23, 2025.
Narut Charoensri, Assistant Professor in International Relations at Chiang Mai University, stated that ASEAN as a regional body is forced to articulate its own interests based on respective priorities while maintaining a careful balance in relations with major powers. Small and medium-sized countries such as Thailand face a dilemma.
During this transitional period, Charoensri analyzed three core questions: the main characteristics of the current international system, Thailand's perception of the existing international order, and the response of the Mekong Sub-region, covering Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, to the emerging international order.
Danny Quah listens to a scholar's speech at the conference in Guangzhou on August 23, 2025.
Danny Quah, Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, delivered a speech titled "Can the World Develop Without the Global North?"
He explained that for the past eight decades, successful economic development has generally hinged on a model that prioritizes domestic supply-side growth while leveraging external demand. However, with the emergence of a tentative multipolar landscape and the decline of multilateralism, this model is becoming increasingly unsustainable.
He questioned whether the world can achieve effective development without the participation of the Global North and discussed possible measures needed to reach this goal.
Reporter: Zhang Ruijun
Photo: Guo Hongda
Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James Campion, Shen He
