Building China’s South-South Cooperation Governance System under the Global Development Initiative

This chapter argues that China should transition its South-South cooperation model from a project-based, resource-delivery approach to a governance- and knowledge-driven system under the Global Development Initiative. Using malaria elimination as an entry point, it highlights China’s strength not only in technology (e.g., artemisinin) but in governance systems such as coordinated public health management and the “1-3-7” strategy. However, current cooperation often emphasizes “hardware” (infrastructure, facilities, personnel) while underinvesting in “software” (institutions, systems, and local capacity), limiting sustainability and impact. The chapter situates this shift within a changing global landscape marked by stalled SDG progress, climate pressures, and geopolitical fragmentation, arguing that China has both the experience and opportunity to play a larger leadership role. It reviews China’s development achievements—rapid growth, poverty reduction, infrastructure, and green transition—as valuable but not automatically transferable without localization. To address these gaps, the author proposes building a coherent governance system along three pillars: (1) a flexible “development cooperation menu” combining standardized and adaptable solutions; (2) parnter-country-level strategic planning and coordination mechanisms; and (3) horizontal learning platforms to convert fragmented experience into shared knowledge. Ultimately, effective South-South cooperation depends on co-creating context-specific solutions and transforming China’s experience into a global public good.