China looks south as it seeks to reduce reliance on a capricious United States

China wants to protect against the volatility of Trump's tariffs, and now has more than a dozen free trade agreements with global south countries

Chinese vice-premier Ding Xuexiang has pledged to give stronger policy support to the Chinese economy as he delivered the keynote speech at a forum focused on bolstering the country's role in Asia and ties with the global south.

With the tariffs on Chinese goods mounting, China is trying to find a foundation for growth that does not rely on an increasingly capricious United States. At the Boao Forum for Asia, a conference in south China's Hainan province, Chinese officials and academics stressed the need for partnerships with global south countries. Despite its rapid economic growth in the past three decades, China still identifies as being part of this group.