International Symposium on “Global South · China’s Approaches” and Donation Ceremony of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China (English Edition) Held in Pretoria, South Africa

PPMG

14 November 2026
PRETORIA, Nov. 10—The International Symposium on “Global South · China’s Approaches” and the donation ceremony of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China (English edition), hosted by Phoenix Publishing & Media Group (PPMG) and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and co-organized by Veritas and Mercurius Publishing Co., Ltd. and the South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM), was held at Tshwane University of Technology. Song Jinbo of the Cultural Section and Zhao Yong of the Education Section of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, together with representatives of the media, publishing and academic communities of China and South Africa and young students of the university, attended the event.

The event aimed to present Xi Jinping’s thought on governance to young people in Belt and Road partner countries, with South African youth as its audience, and to explore innovative ways of reaching African youth with precision.

The event was chaired by Prof John Molepo of Tshwane University of Technology. He said he hoped young people would serve as a bridge, deepening South African youth’s understanding of China’s development philosophy and governance practices.

Prof Mashupye Maserumule, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, then delivered the welcome address. He stressed that “Today’s theme is not about copying China. It is about learning from China,” describing China’s development path as an important civilizational lesson that lies beyond the logic of global capital. “China has lifted over 800 million people out of poverty in 40 years… Development is not only about economics and engineering. It is about people. It is about culture, language, ethics, governance, and history. All this I say because I want us to approach this symposium not simply as a lecture but as a dialogue between civilizations.”
 
Prof Mashupye Maserumule, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, delivers the welcome address.

In a video address, Prof Li Anshan, a renowned scholar of African studies at Peking University, said that “the Global South is an open concept, not an exclusive camp.” Citing South Africa’s Ubuntu philosophy, which holds that “I am because we are,” he said this wisdom of placing the individual within the community is consistent with the concept of a community with a shared future for humanity. A “China’s perspective,” he added, “refers to how Chinese people view and study the Global South, not to ‘taking China as the center’”; it is the unity of “a sense of humanity, a Chinese standpoint, and concern for the Global South.”
 
Prof Li Anshan, a renowned scholar of African studies at Peking University. 

Dr Rasodi Khutso Manyaka, a South African scholar of public administration, said that as the geopolitical landscape undergoes profound change, growing China-Africa relations have become an important underpinning of cooperation among countries of the South. He noted that “while mainstream academic and political discourse remains heavily focused on economic cooperation, trade volumes, infrastructure investments, and macro-level political engagement, the socio-cultural dimension of these relations demands far greater scrutiny”—which, he said, is both inherent in bringing China’s approaches to the Global South and a gap that must be filled in building a China-Africa community with a shared future.
 
Dr Rasodi Khutso Manyaka, a South African scholar of public administration. 

Hu Xiaodong, Deputy General Manager of Phoenix Publishing & Media, Inc., noted that this year marks the 28th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa. “Jiangsu Province and South Africa enjoy a solid and wide-ranging partnership spanning trade, agriculture, education, culture and many other areas,” he said. “Phoenix Publishing & Media Group publishes more than 6,000 new titles a year. Phoenix Media has been named to the ‘Global 50’ ranking of the publishing industry for five consecutive years, ranking first among Chinese publishing enterprises.” Behind these figures, he added, “lies a simple and steadfast commitment: to bring good stories and good ideas to more readers.”
 
Hu Xiaodong, Deputy General Manager of Phoenix Publishing & Media, Inc. 

A donation ceremony for Xi Jinping: The Governance of China (English edition) followed, with copies presented to South African students to help them study Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and gain a better understanding of China.
 
The donation ceremony of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China (English edition). 

In closing remarks, Prof Kholofelo Rakubu, Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at Tshwane University of Technology, said she hoped the event would mark the beginning of a deeper academic partnership among institutions, giving young scholars more opportunities to study Xi Jinping’s thought on governance and learn from China’s experience, and helping the Global South contribute more actively to global knowledge production. She added that the books donated at the event will inspire the researchers and leaders of tomorrow.
 
Prof Kholofelo Rakubu, Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Humanities 

Chinese and international guests said that Xi Jinping: The Governance of China systematically presents the distinctive features, practical path and remarkable achievements of the Chinese path to modernization, offering China’s wisdom and approaches that countries of the Global South can draw on in pursuing modernization together. The event achieved positive outcomes in discussions on the Global South and global governance. The two sides will take this as an opportunity to promote mutual learning among civilizations and reading exchanges among young people.