COLOMBO, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's vision of global governance responds to the common concerns of Global South countries, a Sri Lankan expert has said.

Maya Majueran, founding director of the Belt and Road Initiative Sri Lanka, made the remarks at a China-Sri Lanka readers' seminar on the fifth volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," held recently in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka.

Many believe the representation of Global South countries in international institutions remains disproportionate to their growing economic and political weight, Majueran said in an interview with Xinhua.

"Today, however, that dynamic is changing. The Global South is increasingly asserting its voice in shaping the future of international affairs," he said.

It is against this backdrop that the fifth volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" has drawn growing attention across much of the developing world, Majueran said, noting that the book presents China's vision for global governance, built around shared development, common security, mutual learning among civilizations and multilateral cooperation.

The Global Development Initiative places development at the center of international cooperation and responds to the urgent priorities of many Global South countries, including poverty reduction, industrialization, infrastructure, food security, digital transformation and green development, he said.

The Global Civilization Initiative promotes mutual respect among civilizations and encourages dialogue, cultural exchange and mutual learning, Majueran said.

He said these ideas resonate because they align with the Global South's aspiration for a genuinely multipolar world.

"It is about creating an international environment where countries are free to diversify partnerships, pursue development according to their own priorities, and make sovereign decisions without being compelled to align with any single geopolitical bloc," he said.

Increasingly, many developing nations believe that their prosperity and security depend on strategic autonomy rather than exclusive geopolitical alignments, he said.

Majueran said China's engagement with the Global South is supported by practical institutions as well as ideas. The Belt and Road Initiative, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and other multilateral platforms provide developing countries with greater opportunities to coordinate policies, strengthen South-South cooperation and play a more active role in shaping global governance, he said.

Majueran also pointed to an evolution toward high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. While infrastructure remains an important pillar, greater emphasis is now placed on sustainable investments, green development, digital connectivity, healthcare, education, innovation, and "small but beautiful" projects that directly improve livelihood, he said.

This evolution reflects a broader understanding of development, he said.

"Ultimately, The Governance of China, Volume V, is about far more than explaining China's foreign policy. It presents a broader vision of international order," Majueran said.

"The future of global governance is no longer being shaped exclusively by the developed world. The Global South is emerging not simply as a participant, but as an increasingly influential contributor to rules, institutions, and ideas that will define the international order of the twenty-first century," he said.■