Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez (L) speaks during the inauguration of the press room designated for the G77 + China Summit in Havana, Cuba, on September 13, 2023. (AFP)

A report published by China Daily newspaper provides insights into the great significance of the G77 + China summit convened in Havana, Cuba today.

This event holds profound implications not only for its host country but also for China specifically, as well as the broader Global South, according to Professor Wu Baiyi the director of the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The summit is expected to deepen cooperation between countries of the Global South or developing nations, in the face of the United States' "desperation to maintain its hegemony."

To Dr. Wu, the event will test the international community on the choice "between unity and division, cooperation and confrontation, and peace and conflict."

It also presents a platform in which countries could ascend to play an important part in war prevention, promoting peace and development, and maintaining the core principles of the United Nations while making "global governance mechanisms more effective."

A tremendous task awaits the Global South

The Chinese Professor says that developing countries have to take advantage of the G77 + China summit to secure more economic rights and benefits through North-South dialogue.

The group will allow nations to forge a solid collective platform for them to voice their concerns, advocate their interests, coordinate their views, and accordingly negotiate with the governments and organizations of the Global North.

The bloc, which hosts groups from all over the world including Africa, Asia, and Latin America, will be faced with the "arduous task of not only narrowing the development gap but also breaking away from the traditional development paths to achieve sustainable development while protecting resources and the environment," Professor Wu wrote for the China Daily.

Read more: G77: A forum for global equality

Cuba a star host

The G77 summit is also expected to serve as another landmark diplomatic event for Cuba, which has been heavily sanctioned by the United States since 1958.

Havana will benefit from further improvements in its relations with Beijing and Latin American countries. In the face of a decades-long crippling US embargo on the Caribbean Island, Cuba has stepped up its multilateral diplomacy in Latin America and the Caribbean, as it played a crucial role in several regional associations.

Through the summit, Cuba will expand multilevel cooperation with attendees, around 20% of which are unilaterally sanctioned by the US, to enhance its performance in various fields, including development, security, and environment.

China to intensify developing country diplomacy

Since the beginning of the century, China's economic and trade relations with Latin America have seen remarkable growth, with two-way trade expanding at an average annual rate of 18 percent and reaching $485.8 billion in 2022, according to the director of the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Collaboration between China and Latin America not only strengthens bilateral ties but also has broader diplomatic implications. Recent developments, such as the Central American Parliament's resolution granting Beijing permanent observer status and annulling that of Taipei, highlight the growing political trust and multilateral diplomacy in this partnership.

China sees the G77 and China as a crucial platform for cooperation among developing countries and values Cuba's role as host of the G77+China Summit in Havana.

Developing country diplomacy is integral to China's overall diplomatic strategy. The G77, which includes 134 members, presents China with a substantial and influential platform to advance global development.

Read more: G77; its history and legacy