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Asian AngleSoutheast Asia and the Global South: rhetoric vs reality
- As China, India and others vie to be the Global South’s champion, Southeast Asia’s complexities challenge the one-size-fits-all narrative
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The “Global South” has become a buzzword in international affairs, as developing nations demand a more equitable global order. But how well does this framing actually capture the complex realities of regions like Southeast Asia?
The resurgence of Global South discourse has been fuelled by intensifying great power competition, as China, India and others vie for influence by positioning themselves as its champion.
China has become adept at co-opting “Global South” language to critique the West and advance its own interests, touting the need for “true multilateralism” and “universally beneficial” globalisation. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged Asean leaders to “elevate the Global South for the common interest of all”. And Japan has sought to be a bridge between the Global South and North.
Yet the diversity within the Global South itself defies simplistic narratives. Southeast Asian nations, for instance, exhibit a range of development levels, security concerns, and economic ties that set them apart from a monolithic view of the “developing world”. While sharing some common challenges, these countries make foreign policy choices primarily based on their national interests rather than aligning wholly with Global South rhetoric.
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