Professor Arkebe Oqubay Distinguished Lecture on China and Global Transformation at NCPA

On 29 October 2025, the Nanyang Centre for Public Administration (NCPA) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), was privileged to host the esteemed Professor Arkebe Oqubay, former Senior Minister and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and British Academy Global Professor at SOAS, University of London, for a lecture titled “China and Global Transformation.” The well-attended event drew over 100 students from NCPA’s Master of Social Science in China and Global Governance (MCGG) and Master of Science in Managerial Economics (MME) programmes.

Professor Liu Hong, Associate Vice President, Director (Research & Executive Education) of NCPA, opened and moderated the session. He expressed appreciation for Professor Oqubay’s long-standing collaboration with NCPA and NTU, noting that the lecture resonated with NCPA’s focus on comparative governance and Global Asia, particularly China–Africa relations.

Professor Oqubay’s lecture examined how China’s rise is reshaping global economic, technological, and environmental landscapes. He underscored China’s pivotal leadership in advancing the green transition, fostering South–South cooperation, and redefining development models across the Global South in response to rapid global shifts.

Through compelling visuals and data, Professor Oqubay illustrated three key dimensions of China’s transformative global role. On green transformation, he underscored China’s position as a driving force in global sustainability, contributing to the decoupling of carbon emissions from economic growth. With significant advancements in renewable energy, battery technology, and electric vehicles, China is leading a new green industrial revolution. However, he cautioned against the widening “green divide,” noting that regions such as Africa remain among the most vulnerable to climate change despite contributing minimally to global emissions.

The second part of the lecture traced the historical and contemporary resurgence of the Global South, including China, India, Southeast Asia, and Africa, as vital players in the world economy. Professor Oqubay highlighted how these countries, once colonised and marginalised, are now reshaping trade patterns and global governance, with BRICS economies collectively surpassing the G7 in economic scale. He further noted that China’s resilience amid trade tensions with the United States has accelerated the diversification of global production and supply chains.

In the final section, Professor Oqubay explored the long-standing and evolving collaboration between China and Africa as a model for South–South cooperation. Drawing on examples from Ethiopia’s industrial parks, hydropower projects, and Ethiopian Airlines’ expansion, he illustrated how Chinese investment has supported Africa’s rapid development in infrastructure and green energy. He emphasised that these partnerships are rooted in mutual respect and non-interference, offering an alternative to traditional North–South development models.

A lively Q&A session, moderated by Professor Liu saw participants raised questions on policy learning, perceptions of China’s development model, and the evolving Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Africa. Professor Oqubay observed that China’s engagement with Africa predates the BRI and continues to evolve toward digital and green cooperation. Addressing concerns about public perceptions, he encouraged scholars to move beyond Eurocentric narratives and pursue evidence-based research that captures Africa’s diverse realities and the authentic spirit of mutual progress between Chinese and African partners.

The discussion also explored the implications of geopolitical realignments, including how trade tariffs and global competition are fostering new alliances among countries of the Global South.

In closing, Professor Liu expressed appreciation for Professor Oqubay’s insightful analysis and enduring contributions to global development discourse. He reaffirmed NCPA’s commitment to fostering cross-regional learning and understanding between Asia and Africa. The lecture concluded with the presentation of a commemorative token and a group photograph with participants.

Article contributed by Dr Lyu Mengting, Research Fellow, NCPA.