A member of the Chinese medical team checks a baby in Papua New Guinea. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

The Financial Times selected the term Global South as its year in a Word of 2023, defining it as a geographically vague, and yet emotionally resonant term for what was once known as the developing world.

At the 19th Non-Aligned Movement Summit and the Third South Summit held in Uganda from January 19-21, China's Vice Premier Liu Guozhong said that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the G77, and over the past six decades, Global South countries have found the right path of equality, mutual trust, mutual benefit, solidarity and mutual help.

In early January, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visits to Africa and Latin America marked his first overseas trip in 2024, underscoring China's growing emphasis on Global South countries.

As a member of the Global South community, China has provided development assistance to more than 160 countries, worked with more than 150 countries to jointly build the Belt and Road, and worked together with more than 100 countries and international organizations to advance the Global Development Initiative.

Under the framework of South-South cooperation, China has engaged in collaborative efforts with countries in the Global South across various sectors including healthcare, education, climate change, agriculture, and infrastructure. This collaboration involves sharing development experience, imparting professional and technical knowledge, promoting international trade and investment, as well as alleviating debts.

China has also set up the Global Development Promotion Center of CIDCA in 2022, upgraded the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund to a Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, and added one billion USD to the fund on top of the three billion USD already committed, to help developing countries solve development problems.

Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao said China has upgraded bilateral relations with a record number of countries in 2023, and the country is seeking ways to unite the Global South.

Over the past year, China has upgraded ties with 17 countries and territories, most of them are developing nations, according to a Bloomberg analysis of Foreign Ministry statements.

Japan's Nikkei said China has strengthened the Belt and Road Initiative in its bid to expand cooperation with the Global South.

China has strengthened the weight of the Global South, said Olivier Mendo'o, head of the African Youth Delegation in China, adding that it is looking to bolster South-South cooperation.

At the moment, amid transformation of the world unseen in a century, Global South countries are faced with a complex international environment.

We need to continue our endeavor under the new circumstances to explore the path to modernization, promote higher-level South-South cooperation, actively take part in the reform of the global governance system, and deepen the global partnership for development that is united, equal, balanced and beneficial to all, Vice Premier Liu said.