How China works with the UN to drive South-South cooperation

Editor's note: As the year draws to a close, CGTN presents "Anchor of Stability in Shifting Times: China's Diplomacy in 2025," a special series of in-depth news stories exploring China's diplomatic priorities, from the four global initiatives, neighborhood diplomacy and major-country relations to South-South cooperation and green development. Each article assesses the global resonance of China's approach as we enter 2026, giving context and specificity to its vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

South‑South cooperation entered a new phase in 2025 with the launch of the China–UN Global South‑South Development Facility, a multimillion‑dollar initiative designed to support practical cooperation among developing countries.

Announced in September at the United Nations, China committed $10 million in initial seed funding to the mechanism. The facility is designed to support small‑scale, replicable projects in areas such as technology cooperation and capacity building, helping to mobilize broader development resources across the Global South.

The facility will prioritize the most vulnerable groups – including least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states – and is intended to align with the China-proposed Global Development Initiative and the Belt and Road Initiative, in support of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly framed this push for cooperative development within a broader diplomatic vision.

In a speech at the BRICS Leaders' Virtual Summit on September 8, Xi called on nations to uphold multilateralism and defend international fairness, promote openness and win-win cooperation, and strengthen solidarity and cooperation to foster synergy for common development. His remarks underscored China's effort to position South‑South cooperation as a core pillar of international development.

South-South cooperation in practice

Agriculture is a core area for cooperation between Global South countries. Under the China–UN Food and Agriculture Organization South‑South Cooperation Trust Fund, China has supported multiple agricultural development projects across Africa, Asia and small island states, addressing issues from farming technique training and food loss reduction to animal and plant health inspection and freshwater aquaculture.

Since September 2021, agricultural projects implemented in countries such as Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Burundi, Dominica and Tonga have collectively impacted over 200,000 people. Twenty-nine improved crop varieties – including rice, maize and vegetables – have been introduced. Nearly 5,000 new technologies in areas including crop science, livestock management, veterinary care, water resources and horticulture have been brought into local use, and more than 20,000 agricultural professionals have been trained.

Fairness and equality

China has sought to anchor its South‑South cooperation within wider principles of fairness and win-win cooperation. At the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus" Meeting on September 1, Xi proposed the Global Governance Initiative, calling on countries to adhere to sovereign equality, abide by international rule of law, practice multilateralism, advocate a people-centered approach and focus on taking real actions.

The Chinese president also urged efforts to better tackle the common challenges for mankind, better narrow the North-South gap and better safeguard the common interests of all countries. His remarks reflect longstanding calls from the Global South and emerging market countries for a more balanced global order that respects diverse development paths and promotes inclusive growth.

Industrial and technological collaboration

China is also helping to drive modernization in the Global South through digital infrastructure, green technology transfer and sustainable industrial partnerships.

In June, China and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization launched the fourth phase of the UNIDO Centre for South‑South Industrial Cooperation project, with a focus on green technology, digital transformation, and resilient and inclusive supply chains to support sustainable industrial development across the Global South.

This phase is designed to accelerate technology transfer and strengthen industrial and technical capabilities among partner countries, building on more than 15 years of collaboration in innovation exchange, renewable energy development and capacity building.

Chinese enterprises have been involved in constructing major green energy projects abroad that exemplify this modernization drive.

In southern Tunisia near the historic city of Kairouan, Chinese firms are building the country's largest ground-mounted solar power station, covering about 200 hectares of desert terrain. The project is expected to cut about 5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions – the equivalent of planting 12 million trees across the Sahara Desert – and help advance the country's transition to affordable clean power while strengthening local grid integration and green energy capacity.