【Text by Bosani Ngeleka, Observer.com Columnist; Translation by Guancha.cn, Tang Xiaofu】

President Trump advocates for a "G2" between the US and China to manage global affairs. This idea reduces world politics to a bilateral transaction, undermining the fundamental principle of interdependence; it revives the old notion of "two oligarchs determining the course of history," as if European powers once divided the world through colonial wars and invasions; it even imagines the entire human society as "a territory of the United States."

Fortunately, China does not agree with such a world outlook. China's new global governance initiative centers on "solidarity," emphasizing shared development and common security, and views "fairness" as an anchor of stability rather than a diplomatic burden. This indicates that China recognizes a truth: pandemics, supply chain disruptions, and climate shocks are beyond the control of just two countries. The 21st century requires sufficient breadth and depth, which means building a "community with a shared future for mankind."

This clearly shows that the G20 summit remains irreplaceable. Although it may not be perfect, it is practical; although its operations may not be swift, it can serve as a stabilizer. It provides something that the "G2" cannot offer—greater participation leads to stronger legitimacy. Based on this, South Africa has invited multiple non-G20 countries to participate in the outreach process of the 2025 summit. Previously, during the hosting of the BRICS summit, South Africa also invited non-BRICS members to join the BRICS agenda in a similar way, thereby expanding its influence.

Looking back at its development, the G20 has consistently committed to promoting cooperative global health governance.

South Africa G20 Summit

At the Hamburg Summit (2017), leaders called for "continuously building resilient health systems" and supported "implementing universal health coverage in all countries." At the Osaka Summit (2019), they pledged to "be more adequately prepared for health emergencies." At the Rome Summit (2021), they agreed to strengthen global health architecture, emphasizing the fair accessibility of vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments. At the New Delhi Summit (2023) hosted by India, the summit declaration further stated that global arrangements must "reduce fragmentation, enhance governance, and increase financing" to improve health emergency preparedness.

These statements collectively reveal a simple truth: viruses do not stop at high walls, nor do they queue at border checkpoints. Humans naturally interact and collaborate, and diseases spread according to the rhythm of human interaction. Pathogens flow through trade, tourism, labor, and care, spreading faster than suspicion. Health crises caused by climate change follow the same pattern, as heatwaves, vector shifts, crop failures, and water shortages cross borders. Just as no passport officer can prevent mosquitoes from crossing borders, no patrol can stop air currents carrying dust, spores, or heat from crossing borders.

It is precisely this logic of interdependence that makes the G20 global forum indispensable and makes the "G2" model unfeasible. In fact, if a G2 were formed, I suspect the only other country worth inviting would be Russia, leading to the emergence of a "G3." For the American president who only appreciates the two world leaders, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, this might actually be the "perfect ending."

The theme of the 2025 South African G20 Summit is "Unity, Equality, and Sustainability." This is exactly what Trump calls a "leftist agenda." In his view, the conference promotes diversity, fairness, and inclusiveness as a strategy to weaken countries' control over natural resources. He claims that the environmental movement is conspiring to limit the use of oil and coal. However, the theme of the South African G20 Summit is neither based on ideology nor conspiracy theories. It reflects the reality of Southern countries: acknowledging that global risks require global responsibility; recognizing that long-term global stability needs cooperation and fairness; and admitting that sustainable development is not a luxury but a necessary condition for survival.

President Trump boycotted the South African G20 Summit, accusing South Africa of being irrelevant, and even claimed that the South African government was committing "genocide" against white South Africans of European descent, revealing an instinctive reaction he is familiar with.

He tried to deny the legitimacy of a diverse global leadership. This accusation is reckless and an insult to history. It attempts to isolate a country naturally inclined towards multilateral diplomacy, rather than bowing to the United States. Worse still, he demanded overturning laws enacted to correct imbalances from the apartheid era, arguing that these laws "discriminate" against those who benefited from colonial exploitation and apartheid, a demand that clearly interferes in internal affairs.

During this year's visit of the South African president to the White House, Trump launched a "surprise attack" on the South African president, releasing videos and materials, claiming that black South Africans were oppressing white people

The same situation occurred at the G20 health preparations. U.S. officials broke the consensus, continuing their stance from previous G20 and G8 cycles, claiming that universal health insurance was too burdensome, and instead promoted the "user-pays" model that has already strained their own system; they treated "solidarity" as a cost.

But China did not do so. China continued the spirit of the Hangzhou Summit (2016), insisting that inclusiveness, connectivity, and development are the foundation of global stability.

In fact, early G8 documents also had similar themes to current G20 issues. The Toyako Summit (2008) emphasized the importance of strengthening the global health system; the Genoa Summit (2001) supported establishing the "Global Fund" to expand the coverage of life-saving treatment systems through multilateral mechanisms. These statements conveyed a message that seems to have been forgotten by the United States today: increased joint investment in health is a strategic vision.

The world is entering a new era.

Funding for USAID, CDC, and PEPFAR has been cut. This continues the trend that emerged in the later stages of the G8, when enthusiasm for global health financing began to wane.

But the world will not sit idle. "The Global South" is adjusting. Governments are tapping into their own resources, using private capital, and strengthening regional alliances. They realize that sovereignty is not built on dependence.

American scientific research advantages have not disappeared, and private foundations will remain active in related fields, but no region can rely on external aid to shape its future. A new phase of global health is one where Southern countries gradually replace the subsidies provided by Northern countries with their own capabilities. Sovereignty will become very important: this transition requires local manufacturing, regional procurement, stable funding, and predictable governance. It demands that people who previously relied on donors now be continuously guaranteed by their own public systems.

Emphasis on sovereignty does not mean rejecting international cooperation, but it will reshape the mode of cooperation. It will transform past cooperative models based on international hierarchies into mutually beneficial cooperation; it will allow African, Asian, and Latin American countries to participate in negotiations as equal partners rather than petitioners.

This year, South Africa serves as the G20 chair, and the summit will continue and expand on the experiences of the Indonesian (2022), Indian (2023), and Brazilian (2024) G20 summits, increasing the G20's voice. All three summits have maintained the view that global governance must reflect today's demographic and economic realities, rather than lingering in past anxieties.

South Africa is leading this discussion: it reminds the world that solidarity has strategic significance. It shows that capability is the path to sovereignty. It reinforces the view that addressing global challenges requires global responsibility, not the ambitions of a dual monopoly.

The South African G20 Summit is showing the world that the world does not need a G2 or G3, but a G20 that can represent the majority. It needs a proactive, united, well-prepared Global South. It needs a future shaped by shared responsibility. And South Africa is doing its part.

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