Structurally, China is a unified multi-ethnic country. China officially recognizes 56 ethnic groups, with Han people constituting 91% of the population and the rest representing the minorities. This demographic composition has heavily influenced Beijing’s approach to governance, where unity is not merely ideological but administrative.

On March 12, 2026, China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) adopted the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress (中华人民共和国民族团结进步促进法), to promote ethnic unity and progress. Adopted at the closing meeting of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), it will come into effect from July 1, 2026.

The legislation aims at legally "fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation" and advancing a law-based governance of ethnic affairs. It is viewed as a transition from earlier policies of limited autonomy towards a more assimilation-driven framework. The government projects this change as a key element for advancing common prosperity and development among all ethnic groups.

The official rhetoric of cohesion and modernization is not restricted to the legal and policy realm, but it extends to the classrooms and personal choices to strengthen the “Chinese” identity.  For example, the law on ethnic unity emphasizes studying Mandarin in pre-schools and directs all the national and local government authorities and private firms to prioritize the display of Chinese characters over minority languages in public settings. The law considers this an important instrument for forging a shared national identity. 

CPC’s understanding of minorities is widely shaped by its priority on national security and stability. From that perspective, the new law appears to be a pragmatic step for achieving standardization across language, administration, and ideology. A strong, shared identity acts as an anchor of society, mitigating friction, providing social cohesion, and strengthening state capacity. By invoking the sense of shared identity, the new law tries to align the ethnic groups with the centralized national narrative and resist separatism in any form.

But instead of social cohesion, this engineered standardization of identity intensifies the hierarchies, conferring privileges to some over the others. This hierarchy is iterated in President Xi Jinping’s new model of governance—a “unified multiethnic state." The new system imagined the Han culture as the trunk of the tree, and the remaining 56 ethnic groups as the branches and leaves.

This metaphor of the trunk and the branches, seemingly benign, is laden with the power asymmetries and a sense of subordination of minorities in the name of nation-building rather than co-existence. Under President Xi, minorities are encouraged to bring colors to the geography of China through their culture, festivals, costumes, songs, etc., but any other identity forged through language or ideas is systematically sinicized. The new law seamlessly merges this Han-centric party ideology into the legal framework. 

In the context of this centralization project, regions like Xinjiang and Tibet lie at the intersection of minority identity and geopolitical priorities of China. While the whole world is saturated with the documented reports on “re-education” centers for the Uyghur Muslims and the associated human rights violations, laws like this raise suspicions about the Party’s intentions. The extensive surveillance and cultural and religious restrictions corroborate the sense of suspicion on the minorities and, hence, Beijing’s drive towards "de-ethnicization" and enforced assimilation.

Similarly, in Inner Mongolia, the centralized implementation of Mandarin in the education system is symbolic of minority identity being re-scripted. Starting from the classrooms, laws like the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law aggressively articulate the state-sponsored singular civilizational narrative of Zhonghua, or Chinese civilization, that is predominantly Han.

Compared to democratic countries like the USA and India, China’s approach stands apart. While both the USA and India have historically embraced plurality and multiculturalism, China is experimenting differently with its minorities. Through instruments like the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, China is redesigning unity that does not exactly emerge from diversity. This law might redefine the nationhood for Xi’s China in the 21st century, but it has not evolved organically.

Where social cohesion is perceived as synonymous with national security,   ethnic identity becomes increasingly ornamental and performative. Unified national identity is not simply a byproduct of national policies; it is bigger than that. National identity is composed of various ethnic, religious, and language groups that live, negotiate, and thrive together. Whether the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law can manufacture this national identity and cohesion, however, remains an open question.

The article solely represents the views of Dr. Ila Joshi, an Assistant Professor of International Studies in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida, India.

Footage captured by Viory in Bangkok showed traffic flowing normally as people moved through the city, passing shopping centres and convenience stores, suggesting a return to everyday life even as uncertainty over the ceasefire lingered.

Several locals questioned whether the ceasefire would hold, citing previous breakdowns in relations between the two neighbours. Some expressed hope that the agreement would hold, while others voiced doubts rooted in past experience.

Visitors also weighed in on the development, with some stressing that any effort to end the fighting was positive. A visitor from South Korea described the ceasefire as a necessary first step towards peace , noting that conflict brings harm to all sides.

Thailand and Cambodia signed the ceasefire on Saturday after delegations met at a border checkpoint in Thailand’s Chanthaburi Province. The agreement followed weeks of escalating violence along the border, during which both countries reported military and civilian casualties.

This divide, has of course been exploited by politicians. From the 1970s onwards, the left sought to build support among racial minorities, gradually altering its own identity. Once fundamentally class-based, the “left” in the early 21st century took the fight not only to imperialist and colonial legacies but also to all those perceived to embody that heritage.

As a result, the integration that once defined the region has partly given way to racial fragmentation. Electoral maps from the last 20 years closely mirror the ethnic makeup of communities.

In Bolivia, the Aymara leader Evo Morales won office not only because voters endorsed the programme of his Movement for Socialism, but because of affinity to his indigenous background. Large constituencies backed him as he used anti-colonial rhetoric to seize and redistribute land from elite farmers, often of Spanish heritage.

In Bolivia’s 2025 election, the right-wing candidate Rodrigo Paz won with the backing of vice-presidential candidate Edman Lara - someone Indigenous voters consider one of their own. Tensions emerged immediately: Lara has mobilised supporters demanding expanded powers from the president.

In Peru, Communist Party leader Isaac Humala Núñez founded the Ethnocacerist Movement in 1987 with a straightforward agenda: power to the Indigenous population. His sons later built the Peruvian Nationalist Party on this foundation. One of them, Ollanta Humala became president in 2011. The party collapsed a few years later, but was replaced by a left-wing movement likewise oriented toward Indigenous voters, albeit without explicitly racial slogans. In 2021, its candidate Pedro Castillo - himself indigenous - won the presidency. Electoral maps show that Castillo prevailed in regions dominated by indigenous populations.

Ecuador’s elections have also taken on a racial character. Daniel Noboa won office with support from the Europeanised electorate and now faces protests from indigenous groups, escalating in some cases into armed confrontation.

In Brazil, the Workers’ Party—the main force of the left—does not explicitly foreground racial issues. However, after coming to power in 2003, it expanded affirmative-action policies explicitly aimed at increasing access for Black, Indigenous, and low-income Brazilians. 

The victory of right-wing candidate Jair Bolsonaro in 2019 was, to some extent, a revolt against these policies. Overlaid electoral and demographic maps tell the story: the “Black” Northeast voted for the left, while the “white” South and Southeast backed the right. The 2022 results show a similar pattern, though the left won that time - political preferences still matter, and Brazi’s divisions are less ethnically-based than, for example, Bolivia.

Colombia’s recent elections reveal a comparable trend. Around 60% of the population belongs to various ethnic groups distinguishing themselves from the “descendants of colonisers”. Left-wing candidate Gustavo Petro made race a visible part of his platform, promising to defend the rights of Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. Turnout in regions where those groups predominate surged, while the traditionally “white” centre of the country once again saw low participation.

Indigenous communities are beginning to step outside the framework of the left and articulate their own demands. Brazilian Indigenous groups staged unrest at a climate summit, opposing the construction of railways, power facilities and oil extraction in the Amazon - projects seen as vital for most Brazilians, but not for Indigenous groups. Similar dynamics are unfolding in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and even Argentina, where Indigenous populations are small minorities, yet still mobilising against development initiatives, sometimes violently, as seen in Chile and Ecuador.

The intensification of racial tensions destabilises Latin American states and obstructs their development. Crucially, these mobilisations rarely benefit indigenous communities themselves, but their leaders- often pursuing personal or group political and financial interests. They use left-wing movements as a façade, stoking conflict and provoking confrontation between “indigenous” and “non-indigenous” Latin Americans.

This opinion piece solely represents the views of the author, who has chosen not to disclose his name to avoid repercussions to his work. Global South World knows and can verify his identity.

Here’s what they said.

You can share your opinions on our Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , TikTok , or X posts.

Bangkok, Thailand

Ayush: “I love to travel, and I feel that as this city becomes more commercial, prices go up because people bring their US dollars and spend them here. So I guess the biggest threat to my way of life is gentrification.”

Ethan: “It’s really hot where we live. That’s my biggest threat.”

Grace: “Probably time management.”

Mahmoud: “I'm not really threatened by major things. I guess the unstable nature of the government of my home country because I come from Bangladesh, so there are a lot of uncertainties there. That could either get us in trouble or make our lives a little harder. But I'm away from all that, so I can't really say I feel threatened in any way.”

Aiden: “I think life is pretty good here in Thailand. I won’t get into the intricacies of Thai politics, but [...] to maintain one's way of life in general, I would highly advocate for democracy to prevail. That's all I'll say.”

Azman: “Personally, I think the only person who could pose a threat to my life is me. No matter what comes my way, if I decide to give up, then my way of life is done. I need to learn to adapt, to change, to find different solutions. There's always something you can do to make your situation better. I think the biggest threat to anyone in their life is themselves.”

Aiya: “Everything. No, I'm just kidding. Basically, maybe the environment around me. But everything is fine, honestly. I’m really thankful and grateful for this life. I’m not really threatened.”

Yuta: “Distractions. I get distracted a lot. Sometimes I’ve gotta stop myself and gather myself and focus on what is important and what isn’t. Our world is full of social media and TikTok reels… all that sh*t. It’s all distractions. You should focus on the main goal, whatever that is.”

Kim: “Income.”

Larry: “To my life directly, none. But if I want to talk about threats to life, to my children and my children's children... the fear that everything’s going the wrong way around the world. We need more freedoms.”

Vince: “I don't think there's one.”

Accra, Ghana

Nancy: “Poverty. We need money to do everything in this era. Waking up to the fact that there will be no money and everything will come to a stop is a threat to my life.”

Shadrach: “Bad governance. It affects every aspect of life. If you don’t have a good government that can come up with policies that improve your life, your life is at risk.”

Joyceline: “Not having money, because money runs the world.”

Ernest: “Let’s make it health. If you don’t have health, there’s nothing you can do. If you wake up and feel dizzy, you can’t complete the daily things you want to do.”

Felix: “Climate change. The sun is scorching too much where I’m standing right now. I’m feeling it. That’s the biggest threat in my life.”

Ansah: “Monetary issues in my work. In 10 years, what will be the future? Will my work be cancelled? There are always new initiatives, new products, new things coming. We’re always trying to adjust to the economy and society.”

Evans: “Sickness. Without good health, you can’t do anything. With positive health, I can do everything I want to do.”

Godwin: “I’m too direct. Maybe someone will get angry and knock me one day [laughs].”

Ruth: “In Ghana, we have good resources: water, forests, minerals. Illegal mining is a threat to our livelihoods when it comes to getting clean water. If it's not managed well, it could reach a point where we no longer have clean water to drink and might even have to import it. It needs to be managed now.”

Samuel: “Losing God. Losing me. When I give up on what I want to do, on my passion. I don't see people as threats, I don't even see my environment as a threat, because you can overcome it. But if you give up, it becomes a problem. So, my greatest threat is about myself, giving up on myself.”

Ebenezer: “Climate change is the biggest threat, not just to my way of life, but to our world currently. We need to mitigate its impact.” 

John: “The world is shifting away from divine peace. Caring for one another is now becoming very scarce. Powerful countries are preparing weapons. This is a fear, a greater fear. I fear for my children and the future of the world.”

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Erleyvaldo Bispo: “Probably the climate crisis. It’s a big challenge for young people in Brazil.”

Eduardo Bernardo Gomes: “Violence, that’s worrying.”

Tarcio: “The climate situation. The devastation of nature around the world could impact temperature and climate stability. That threatens human life.”

Victoria Luzia Zago: “Artificial intelligence. Technological progress makes me very scared, especially in the field of law, where everything is becoming automated.”

Brenno: “I think it’s pollution. It really messes up the world. Ice is melting. Pollution can cause harm.”

Maria Clara: “The constant need to produce. To keep producing, producing, producing. Living in that agitation. That’s the biggest threat for me.”

Silvia: “Ecological disasters. If we don’t preserve Mother Nature… We are like ants compared to this force. We need to respect, appreciate, and preserve this great force that is nature.”

Artur: “The biggest threat is the lack of education among the Brazilian people, the lack of respect. There’s no punishment for anything. You need a black belt to live well here.”

Mayara: “Politics, corruption, and violence. It will end everything.”

Anderson: “Pollution. Bad air quality. In 10 or 15 years, we might not even have trees.”

Maria: “Violence is the worst threat for us Brazilians right now.”

Tokyo, Japan

Interviewee 1: “I don't know how to answer this. I think that most of us are not respecting the culture of a lot of people and countries around us.”

Interviewee 2: “Too much caffeine.”

Interviewee 3: “Caffeine and technology.”

Interviewee 4: “Probably carcinogens.”

Interviewee 5: “People are struggling with day-to-day things. AI, climate change… All these problems are interconnected. There's no point in trying to solve climate change or improve the natural aspects of a certain area if the people living there are struggling. All these things need to happen in tandem. We've separated nature from humanity, and that's a bit of a false dichotomy.”

Interviewee 6: “I don't know if there is necessarily a major threat to my way of life. I suppose if a major war were to break out, if there were another major pandemic… But I think my way of life is probably one of the least at risk of all the ways of life on Earth. So I'm not too worried about mine. I'm more concerned about other people.”

Interviewee 7: To my way of life, probably the cost of living crisis and the housing crisis in Australia, especially in the city that I come from. And as someone who doesn't own property, that's pretty bad.”

Interviewee 8: “Greed and self-interest. We need to be working more as a community and be more concerned about how we can uplift the people around us and ensure that we stand against the people at the top who are just trying to preserve their own self-interest.”

Interviewee 9: “People who take things too seriously”.

Interviewee 10: “Street vloggers who record documentaries on the street.”

Interviewee 11: “If they make having fun illegal.”

A Global South World video series

This video is part of Global South World’s series exploring global opinions on pressing issues.

You can share your thoughts on our Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , TikTok , or X posts.

In previous videos, we asked:

Is the US a friendly power?

Are you scared of AI?

Is capitalism working?

Should smoking be banned?

Is Elon Musk a visionary or a threat?

Are you worried about climate change?

Stay tuned for more perspectives.

Here’s what they said.

You can share your thoughts on our Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube or X posts.

Bangkok, Thailand

Ayush: "Absolutely. I did a whole project in school where we calculated the amount of trash each district and tile in Bangkok produces. And it turns out that there is more trash produced than there are people accounting for it because there are so many people living outside the system. Nobody sorts their trash. No one recycles. No one cares about composting. No one cares about recycling metals. We are contributing so negatively to climate change right now."

Ethan: "No. We’re in Thailand and it’s hot."

Grace: "Absolutely. I think this is one of the hugest or most prevalent problems facing the entire world right now. And it's not just an individual issue. It's a global issue that everyone should give more importance to."

Mahmoud: "Yes and no. Over time, history sort of repeats itself. Call me an optimist. We can't deny what's going on in reality but I think we will do just enough to get it done, to keep our environment safe."

Aiden: "Yes. We are on track to almost reaching the irreversible point. It’s a global issue that should be at the forefront of everyone's minds."

Azman: "For me, obviously yes. It kind of affects us in a certain way, but more than us, I feel like it will affect people in the future. The major effects, I don’t think we will see for quite a while. A lot of people predict it will be happening soon, but I don't think so. I'm more concerned about future generations. There’s a saying: 'Hand the world back as beautiful as it was when it was handed to you.' That’s the hope."

Aiya: "I really do. I really care about the country, the environment, the animals. And I like how people are living. I want clean air for all of us and sustainable stuff. We’ve got to be more sustainable nowadays because the world is going down."

Yuta: "Yes. I feel like the past few generations have done a lot of damage to our planet. And now, as the youngest generation, we have to look after and mend what they’ve done. So I’m worried because it is our Earth. We all share it."

Fam: "I think I am. The last time I visited the UK, it was winter and it was getting warm. There are a lot of disasters going on in our country, especially where I live in the Philippines. I'm actually worried, but at the same time, what are we trying to do?"

Kim: "Hell yeah."

Larry: "No."

Accra, Ghana

Nancy: "I'm worried about climate change because the climate affects our living conditions here. Currently, the weather is very hot and it's making life very unbearable for us."

Shadrach: "Yes, because it affects every aspect of life."

Joyceline: "Definitely. Being an African and a Ghanaian in particular, yes, I'm worried about climate change. Any change in climate has bad effects on us."

Ernest : "Yes, I would say I'm worried a little bit because as it stands now, the weather keeps changing time and time again."

Felix: "Yes, I'm worried about climate change. The developed countries are destroying the climate, and Africans are suffering."

Ansah: "Yes, in a way. We've been seeing on the news how it's affecting our environment. I believe it’s a threat to our nation and the world as a whole."

Evans: "Yes. We can all see and testify to the fact that the environment itself has changed."

Godwin: "Very worried. Recent disasters tell us that very soon the world will be in crisis. The world's population is growing, so climate change can lead to food insecurity."

Ruth: "Climate change should be something we should all be worried about. Looking at the free, clean air we have now… We don't want to get to a point where we struggle to even get that."

Samuel: "I'm worried to some extent. Look at the changes in our weather conditions, our environment, and the unpredictability of everything. I’m very worried, especially these days."

Ebenezer: "Climate change is something that we all should be worried about. In Ghana, you start seeing the effects. Everyone and everything, whether we like it or not, is impacted by climate change. We’re seeing temperatures and sea levels rise beyond normal. It’s a global phenomenon, and we should all be concerned."

John: "I'm very worried about climate change. Everything that comes with it is a threat to the survival of humanity. I'm therefore very worried."

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Erleyvaldo: "Yes, because in Brazil, it’s a big challenge."

Eduardo: "Yes, for sure. It’s very important."

Tarcio: "It’s always worrying, isn’t it? The problem is that climate change impacts the entire planet."

Victoria: "A lot, especially here in Brazil with deforestation occurring in the Amazon."

Brenno: "Yes, we are very concerned. I think Brazil has been contributing more and more, introducing recyclable waste initiatives, and that helps a lot. It’s important to keep moving in that direction because global warming could cause significant harm."

Maria Clara: "Yes, a lot, especially here in Rio. I often think about how we’re going to live in the future because temperatures here in Brazil just keep increasing, and we really suffer from this heat. And in the rest of the world, there are climate imbalances in various places."

Silvia: "We are very concerned about environmental and climate changes. What we can do today is encourage recycling and avoid consuming meat. We also contribute by not owning a car."

Artur: "I think there's a lot of politics involved. It's sad, but that’s Brazil."

Mayara: "Yes. We do what we can to preserve nature. But I see that most people in our country don’t."

Anderson: "Of course, yes. I have a lot of siblings, including a little sister. I see that in the future the air will be even worse than it is now. There’s no basic sanitation in the favela, and it’s only going to get worse. It will be worse for them than for me."

Maria: "Very worried. Grandchildren will come, and we don’t know what the future will be like."

Tokyo, Japan

Interviewee 1: "It looks like it's going to affect a lot. So yeah, a little bit."

Interviewee 2: "Yes."

Interviewee 3: "I’d say moderately. I have some concerns."

Interviewee 4: "Definitely. I think it’s one of the biggest issues we’re facing at the moment. There hasn’t really been enough action taken in any capacity. I think a lot of the blame has been shifted onto individuals. But in reality, it’s really a bunch of companies that are responsible for most of the emissions. They need to be held accountable for us to have any chance, any progress."

Interviewee 5: "I’m worried about climate change. I think not enough people are worried about it and that’s the biggest issue right now. There’s more education around it now, and we’re seeing the effects more. But it doesn’t feel like the panic is increasing and that’s concerning."

Interviewee 6: "I’m personally quite worried about it. But what worries me the most is that we’re still having debates over whether climate change exists rather than focusing on what to do about it. That's really where the discussion currently sits. And there's obviously a lot of nuance there. But what worries me, I think, is the indication of larger problems, and the fact we're still discussing whether it exists or not in certain places."

Interviewee 7: "Absolutely, yes. It’s one of the biggest threats to humanity today, among a myriad of other things."

Interviewee 8: "Yes. Climate change is very worrying."

Interviewee 9: "Yeah, I think it’s a problem."

Interviewee 10:  "Yeah, I think we haven’t got much time left, so we need to work on it."

A Global South World video series

This video is part of Global South World’s series exploring global opinions on pressing issues.

You can share your thoughts on our Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube or X posts.

In previous videos, we asked:

Is the US a friendly power?

Are you scared of AI?

Is capitalism working?

Should smoking be banned?

Is Elon Musk a visionary or a threat?

Stay tuned for more perspectives.

Here's some of what they said.

You can share your opinions on our Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube or X posts.

Bangkok, Thailand

Ayush: "Elon Musk is both a visionary and a threat. He actually is really smart, really capable and could take us to really cool places, but instead, he wants to lobby. He's only serving his best interests at the end of the day. He knows that if he does what Trump says, he can have control and then make himself way more money. So right now, he's a threat to our democracy, and we should all get off X.”

Ethan: "I don’t know, but I like Tesla."

Grace: "Interesting question. Interesting person. Great ideas when it comes to technology. But you know what? There are some good things and bad things with everyone, or things you agree or disagree on."

Mahmoud: "He's both. We can't deny the guy is a freaking genius. But also, his character might be perceived as unsavoury. We have to keep the checks and balances. So while we can support certain things he invests in, we can also criticise. We have every right to. He can seem problematic, but you can't deny the good things he may have contributed to society."

Aiden: "I think Elon Musk likes to frame himself as a visionary. I don't think he is anywhere near as smart as most people think he is. People don’t realise that, for example, he was not the inventor of Tesla. He was not the founder. He just bought the company. So, with the amount of power and money he has that he's not using to better the world, I think he's very actively a threat."

Azman: "I think looking at Elon Musk as a threat would be very incorrect. If you look at how we got to this point, it was through brilliant minds who thought differently. His visions and the things he wants to achieve are a step forward. He’s just doing what he believes humans can achieve. I think he’s definitely more of a visionary than a threat."

Aiya: "I have no opinion on him."

Yuta: "He's a visionary. He's one of those elevated beings. Society kind of turns him into a laughingstock because he sees things differently than a normal person does. Society wants us to be normal. People hate him because they don’t see his vision."

Fam: "He's a visionary. He's a God, to be honest."

Kim: "He's obviously worried about the future of other people’s kids."

Larry: "He's a visionary."

Vince: "Elon Musk is a visionary."

Accra, Ghana

Nancy: "I see him as a visionary person."

Shadrach: "He’s a visionary. He’s not a threat. He’s an entrepreneur, and his innovations have helped human life."

Joyceline: "Elon Musk is a visionary. He's not a threat because his wealth has created a lot of jobs for people."

Ernest: "I don't think he's a threat. He's a visionary. Since Donald Trump won the election, they are going to be collaborating and working together, so I don’t think he is a threat."

Felix: "He's a visionary person. He's an entrepreneur, and with Donald Trump, he can easily bridge the gap between China and the US in terms of business."

Ansah: "He is a visionary. His initiatives are making life easier for people."

Evans: "He’s a visionary leader. The world is moving towards technology, and he is driving that."

Godwin: "Musk is really a visionary. If Musk had been the one to invent the computer, people might have said he was a threat, but now we see its benefits. We will see the impact of his work in the future."

Ruth: "I seriously don’t see him as a threat. He’s ahead in technology and doing his best to help us. But X, and other social media platforms, should pay more attention to African countries when it comes to elections and misinformation."

Samuel: "Elon is not a threat. Only people who don’t want to see what the future holds would think that. He’s a forward thinker. I see him as somebody that the future will need. Our children, grandchildren, will need Elon.”

Ebenezer: "Elon Musk is a futuristic person, and that makes him a visionary. He sees things others don’t and takes risks. You can look at what he's been able to do with Space X, with X, if I should say, promoting free speech and all that. I think Elon is maybe two years ahead of the whole world.”

John: "He’s a threat. Anything that comes and goes contrary to God's ordination should be a threat.”

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Erleyvaldo: "He is a threat. Social media influences people, and I don’t think he is the best person to control it."

Tarcio: "Visionary, very visionary. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be who he is today."

Victoria: "He's a threat. He's just a billionaire with people at his service, and he’s not using his money to do what would be ideal for humanity.”

Brenno: "He’s super visionary. We’re scared because something bad could happen, but so far, he’s done positive things."

Filipe: "Maximum respect, Elon Musk." 

Maria Clara: "Threat. There are limits to everything, and when you cross them, it becomes dangerous."

Silvia: "Us, humans, have both positive and negative potential. It depends on where we place our focus."

Artur: "Very visionary. He’s a billionaire, a trillionaire… He deserves respect."

Mayara: "Who is he?"

Anderson: "Visionary. He creates a lot of jobs. I like people who take risks."

Maria: "Who is he?"

Tokyo, Japan

Interviewee 1: "I don't like him. Right now, he’s a f*cking idiot, but in the past, I thought he was cool."

Interviewee 2: "He’s a visionary."

Interviewee 3: "I’m not sure [laughs]."

Interviewee 4: "He seems like a bit of a tosser."

Interviewee 5 "He's just a bit of a fraud, really, in everything he does. One of the richest people in the world getting state power as well is not something that I'm especially looking forward to."

Interviewee 6: "Elon Musk is definitely a threat. I used to think he was just an idiot. Now I'm more worried. He kind of owns one of the biggest news platforms in the world these days. He has the ability to show what he wants and claim he's doing the ‘right’ thing. He's a dangerous man these days."

Interviewee 7: "Sadly, he can kind of be both… Maybe much less of a visionary, much more of a threat. He's clearly doing something right to be the richest man in the world, but that's almost the problem, the fact that he now has so many resources."

Interviewee 8: "I consider him a fraud. He's just a guy who, for some reason, has built this persona, and some people have fallen for it. But I think now these people are seeing that he's just a petulant child with a lot of money, who has made investments in a lot of good things rather than actually inventing anything in particular."

Interviewee 9: "I don't really know anything about Elon Musk, and I don't care."

Interviewee 10: "He's a threat. He's not a good guy."

A Global South World video series

This video is part of Global South World’s series exploring global opinions on pressing issues.

You can share your thoughts on our Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube or X posts.

In previous videos, we asked:

Is the US a friendly power?

Are you scared of AI?

Is capitalism working?

Should smoking be banned?

Stay tuned for more perspectives.

Here's some of what they said.

You can share your opinions on our Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , or X posts.

Bangkok, Thailand

Ayush: “No, I love smoking weed. Never ban smoking. Cigarettes? If that's your thing... I don't like how they smell, but don't ban smoking.”

Ethan: "No."

Grace: "Everyone has their own outlet. We all have our vices and our virtues. It's a personal thing. I don't think it should be banned, but I think those who indulge in it should know their limits."

Mahmoud: "Yes. It's incredibly unhealthy. It's bad for the environment. It should be banned anywhere and everywhere."

Aiden: "Like any vice, I'm not sure I would completely advocate a ban. An immediate ban would put it underground. I think it would cause a lot more harm. Perhaps there need to be more measures in place to ensure that we discourage people from becoming more addicted to it."

Azman: "Targeting smoking solely will not solve the problem. To eradicate it, you would have to eradicate any other alternative."

Aiya: "It should be more controlled. There should be some designated smoking areas and not people just smoking on the street. But you shouldn't ban smoking."

Yuta: "No. I'm supportive of smoking. Smoking should be allowed everywhere, except for where there are younger kids or older people."

Fam: "Moderation is everything. I mean, I smoke, so… [laughs]."

Kim: "Hell no. But it shouldn’t be allowed everywhere."

Larry: "No."

Accra, Ghana

Nancy: "Smoking should be banned. It's destroying our lungs and causing so much harm."

Shadrach: "No, people smoke for reasons. I think it should be regulated rather than banned."

Joyceline: "Smoking should be banned because it affects our health and the environment in general."

Ernest: "Of course, it should be banned. It has to be banned in Ghana because people act really weird when they smoke. It affects the economy, too, so it should be banned."

Felix: "Absolutely, it should be banned. It causes so many dangers to human life."

Ansah: "Smoking should be banned right now."

Evans: "Obviously, yes. It also contributes to climate change. It has its own side effects on society, especially when it comes to lung cancer, environmental pollution, and other issues."

Godwin: "It should be banned for people under certain conditions. It should be banned for some people, and for others, it should be used."

Ruth: "It should be left to the individual, but you shouldn't do it in public. You don’t know the health state of the person you're standing by."

Samuel: "Outright. I support that smoking should be banned. I don't see why people smoke, honestly. Especially in this weather. Why would one smoke? Companies producing these cigarettes should be penalized. Put heavy taxes on them and collapse them."

Ebenezer: "Smoking is bad. It has a long-term effect on our bodies. I think banning smoking is just one step in regulating it. More education needs to be done to help us understand why people even smoke in the first place."

John: "Of course, it must be banned."

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Erleyvaldo: "Probably not. People are free to choose what they want."

Eduardo: "It should. I’m a smoker, but it should. Unfortunately, quitting smoking is difficult. It's not easy at all."

Tarcio: "No, I think so many things should be banned and are not. Smoking is a personal choice. Everyone knows the harm they’re willing to accept."

Victoria: "No, but I don’t think it should be encouraged."

Filipe: "Smoking should be banned for people who smoke in public, surrounded by children... But I don’t have anything against people who smoke. If you want to smoke, smoke at home."

Maria Clara: "No. I think that people can have the freedom to choose. They know the risks, they can choose what they want."

Silvia: "The important thing is to make it clear what benefits and harms something can bring. Then, everyone is free to make their own choice."

Artur: "Everyone has to be responsible for their own well-being and health. If someone wants to smoke, they smoke, but they’ll have to take responsibility for the consequences and effects."

Mayara: "In public, yes."

Anderson: "It should. All drugs should be banned. Smoking, drinking, alcohol… everything."

Maria: "It should be. It’s already prohibited in some places, but it should be prohibited everywhere."

Tokyo, Japan

Interviewee 1: "If we think about the climate, yes, but if people want to smoke, I think it's OK."

Interviewee 2: "Generally, yes."

Interviewee 3: "Well, it depends. I'm not going to elaborate."

Interviewee 4: "We need to look at solutions that involve cutting off smoking for certain age groups, trying to avoid getting future generations addicted. When you're dealing with people who are currently addicted to nicotine, it gets a bit more complicated."

Interviewee 5: “I certainly would say that if smoking should be banned, then so should drinking. Drinking probably has larger negative impacts on society as a whole, not necessarily on individual health, but on society. But in the same way, I also think that people probably should be allowed to decide if they're going to give themselves lung cancer or not."

Interviewee 6: "People have the right to choose what they put in their bodies. Educate the masses as much as possible on the dangers of it, but at the same time, taking it away completely shouldn't be allowed."

Interviewee 7: "Smoking is obviously a very big health risk, but I don't know about a ban. I think it's probably good to be highly regulated though."

Interviewee 8: "Yes."

Interviewee 9: "No."

Interviewee 10: "Realistically, probably, but like… Nah."

A Global South World video series

This video is part of a Global South World’s series exploring global opinions on pressing issues.

You can share your thoughts on our Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , or X posts.

In previous videos, we asked:

Is the US a friendly power?

Are you scared of AI?

Is capitalism working?

Stay tuned for more perspectives.

Here's some of what they said.

You can share your opinions on our Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , TikTok , or X posts.

Bangkok, Thailand

Ayush: "The idea of capitalism is that, if you let the free market regulate, companies will be able to charge an amount that they want to, customers will look for the best deal, and then they meet in the middle. Customers get the best deal and we pay the lowest for the best service. But I feel like that doesn't apply to things like health care and housing, which are pretty f*cking important. So no, I don't think capitalism is working."

Ethan: "I don’t know but I buy a lot of stuff and that’s capitalism."

Mahmoud: "Capitalism, unfortunately, is working. Without capitalism, I don't think the world turns the way it turns."

Aiden: "Capitalism has always been a broken system. Unfortunately, there is no worldwide system yet that can actively replace it [...] Would I like to see something replace capitalism? Yes. Do I see it happening anytime soon? Unfortunately, no."

Azman: "Consumers have choices. If you prefer an iPhone, you can buy an iPhone. If you want a Samsung, you can buy a Samsung. There is a price for everyone [...] I feel it works."

Aiya: "Honestly… No."

Yuta: "When capitalism is in place, people are more worried about making as much money as they can instead of the main goal [...] which is either saving our planet or finding another planet that we can live in."

Fam: "A lot of people would judge me, but I think capitalism is the biggest lie ever. It doesn’t work. It's an unfair distribution of wealth and power."

Kim: "Yes and no. There are no middle-class families anymore."

Larry: "Absolutely. It's the only thing that has worked."

Vince: "They need to give back what people need."

Accra, Ghana

Nancy: "Capitalism is not really working. I would prefer socialism to capitalism."

Shadrach: "Yes, but we don't seem to have any country that practises pure capitalism."

Joyceline: "I don't think it's working because it only gives power to a few."

Felix: "Capitalism is working. I think some countries don't like practising it."

Ansah: "Capitalism is working, especially in Ghana."

Evans: "In European countries, when you go there, capitalism is working perfectly. But here in Ghana, it's not like that."

Godwin: "Capitalism is not working [...] The richer will keep getting richer and the poorer will keep getting poorer."

Ruth: "Yes. I feel it's working for a few."

Samuel: "It works for a few. In Ghana, it favours those who have businesses, those in politics. We, the ordinary persons, are left out of this capitalist ideology."

John: "It's not working. It only benefits those who are in charge."

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Erleyvaldo: "No. We have problems that are consequences of capitalism."

Eduardo: "No. Politics keep going without resolving anything. It’s always the same."

Tarcio: "No, it only works in the media, in their propaganda."

Victoria: "No, definitely not. Especially here in Rio de Janeiro. There is so much social inequality, so much contrast, so many people in the street… I don’t think it's working very well."

Brenno: "I don’t think any country could live completely without capitalism. There are negative aspects, but I think it is necessary."

Maria Clara: "Capitalism has failed. There is a lot of inequality, many people with a lot of money, others with little, there is no egalitarian distribution of wealth… I don't think it's working."

Silvia: "No. It’s not about saying it’s completely wrong, but it needs to be revised. Its consequences will eventually lead to the end of humanity. But I believe in human potential to review this system and find a solution."

Artur: "The world is capitalist, and that’s it. Money runs the world, unfortunately."

Mayara: "No, it never worked, it never will. Politics, corruption... In Brazil, especially here in Rio de Janeiro."

Anderson: "More or less. It’s good for the rich, right? For us poor people, it’s much harder. Now with the high dollar and high inflation, it’s even worse."

Maria : "I don’t think it’s working very well."

Tokyo, Japan

Interviewee 1: "It's probably not helping climate change. I guess we could have a better society model than capitalism."

Interviewee 2: "Yes for some people but no for others."

Interviewee 3: "Capitalism isn't giving us any solutions for climate change or the modern problems that we're facing. It's time for us to consider other solutions."

Interviewee 4: "Depends on who you're talking to. As a broke uni student, I'd say probably not. If I was the CEO of some big chain, and I was earning three million a month, committing tax evasion and stuff, I might have a different answer."

Interviewee 5: "I can't think of a better system to put in its place. But having completely unfettered capitalism with no restraints is a horrifically awful system. So, it's about finding that sort of nuance between social capitalism."

Interviewee 6: "We need to consider alternatives, but I don't think that people in power are willing to let that happen. They are invested in the system, it makes them money. Oppression of the working class is the only way to ensure that they can stay nice and comfy at the top."

Interviewee 7: "There's not a better alternative so far."

Interviewee 8: "No, it's not working at all."

A Global South World video series

This video is part of a Global South World’s series exploring global opinions on pressing issues.

You can share your thoughts on our Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , TikTok , or X posts.

In previous videos we asked:

Is the US a friendly power?

Are you scared of AI?

Stay tuned for more perspectives.

Here's some of what they said.

You can share your opinions on our Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , TikTok , or X posts.

Bangkok, Thailand

Ayush: "Sometimes people are like: 'Oh, don’t you know that AI is going to take over your job?' because I'm a writer. I'm like: 'Actually, no, because I use AI to write. If you guys knew the f*cking garbage that comes out of ChatGPT' [..] So not right now. Maybe in five years."

Ethan: "No, it’s really helpful. You can make a lot of sh*t with it. Like arts."

Grace: "It's just an assistant [...] We will just have to integrate it into our lives. But use it wisely."

Mahmoud: "I would say cautious. I wouldn't say scared. [...] It can be used as a tool. It could also be used as a weapon."

Aiden: "I'm not scared of AI. It was inevitable. I have watched enough of Asimov’s movies, I, Robot , Terminator ... There need to be checks and balances in place. Especially for privacy reasons because we still don't have any policies in place to address that. Governments need to be on top of that."

Azman: "I don't think so. The power is with us because we, as humans, have the ability to adapt and change."

Aiya: "I really do. I feel it's taking over us, and the next generation is not going to think as much as the old generation, like us."

Yuta: "Yeah, because I watched Terminator . It's like Skynet will awaken one day. Because they do remember. They always remember."

Fam: "AI gives you an opportunity to not think. A lot of people are lazy these days. So, I don't know... Maybe it's good, maybe it's not."

Kim: "Yes and no. People are going to have a better life, but there will also be a lot of fake news."

Larry: "Under controlled circumstances, it could be good. If we rely on it too much, we'll end up like Terminator ."

Accra, Ghana

Nancy: "I'm a little bit scared of AI. Though it is doing good, helping us with tasks and all that, it's somehow making us become a bit incompetent."

Shadrach: "No. AI is a revolutionary tool that helps to facilitate information."

Joyceline: "I'm not scared of AI. It's only here to help us. AI can't take away everything completely from the human force."

Ernest: "For me, as a student, it helps us to do the work, research, all our projects. So, it's good. I'm not afraid of it."

Ansah: "I'm not scared. I'm glad AI is around."

Evans: "We need AI to help us enhance our thinking, elevate our thinking, and help us get better data analysis."

Godwin: "No, I'm not scared of AI. I actually use AI."

Ruth: "It has come to stay, so we should just learn to integrate it into our daily activities."

Samuel: "No, I'm not. I mean, why? It's only people who are not forward thinkers who will be scared of technology. Technology is here to help us. In my workplace, I use it every day."

John: "I'm scared. I'm a carpenter. If AI should be applied in my part of work, it means I'm going to be deprived of my job. How do I survive? AI is applicable in vast areas. It's a threat not to me alone, but to humanity in general."

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Erleyvaldo: "Of course not. I believe that technology is important for humanity."

Eduardo: "Yes, I think so. There are young people who already know more than adults. And us, old people, don’t know."

Tarcio: "Yes, I think so. This idea of wanting to replace humans is very dangerous."

Victoria: "A lot. I think about it every night before going to sleep and every morning when I wake up. And I think that maybe my children won’t be able to find a job."

Brenno: "It’s a bit strange. When you ask it something, it knows everything, it has its own reasoning… I'm a bit hesitant about that."

Silvia: "It's like a knife. You can use a knife to cut ingredients and make a wonderful meal. And you can also use it to hurt someone or yourself."

Mayara: "Yes. It's going to put an end to many people’s jobs. Cashiers, attendants… It’s all going to be automated, robotised, computerised."

Anderson: "I think so. Especially with robots, because in 20 years they will take over, right? Jobs. One robot will do the job of 20 people."

Maria: "It's kind of scary. It’s very advanced."

Tokyo, Japan

Interviewee 1: "I don't think it's going to affect me, but I know it will affect some people, like those in art. So maybe a little bit scared."

Interviewee 2: "Not necessarily scared. I just think it's causing a lot of harm, especially in creative fields. [...] If all the art I'm seeing is AI art, I think that would be quite sad."

Interviewee 3: "I don't think it's going to take everyone's jobs like people are worried about. I work in film, so I'm not too stressed that someone's going to start writing better films than me or taking better videos than me."

Interviewee 4: "I'm mildly scared of AI. The main problem is the fact that it's such a new piece of technology and it's so powerful that the legislation isn't caught up."

Interviewee 5: "Not at the moment. I think that it's easier for a lot of news outlets to fearmonger about AI. It's particularly profitable to do so. But we should definitely regulate. Otherwise, things will get bad very quickly."

Interviewee 6: "No. I think people think AI can do more things than it actually can."

Interviewee 7: "Yeah, a bit. I feel like a few years into the future, it's going to be doing bad things."

A Global South World video series

This video is part of a Global South World’s series exploring global opinions on pressing issues.

You can share your thoughts on our Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , TikTok , or X posts.

In previous videos we asked:

Stay tuned for more perspectives.

Here's some of what they said.

You can share your opinions on our Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , TikTok or X posts.

Is the US a friendly power?

Bangkok, Thailand

Ethan: "Oh, they’re so friendly. The US is such an amazing, lovely country. They can never do anything wrong." [Laughs]

Mahmoud: "Friendly? I don't think any first-world country is necessarily friendly."

Aiden: "The US is friendly to the US. Depending on who's in power, but at the end of the day, US interests will always come first."

Yuta: "No, the US is trying to be like everyone's daddy. If you don't do what they say, they will either kill you or destroy you. That’s the US."

Larry: “Being from the US, I'm going to say under the right government, yes.”

Vince: “The US should help the people who are living within the country. It's not about the money. It's about being human and helping each other.”

Accra, Ghana

Nancy: "Semi-friendly."

Shadrach: "No. The US is a friend when it has interests."

Joyceline: "The US will only be friends with you when they would get or benefit something from you."

Ernest: "A friendly power? No, they are not friendly."

Felix: "Yes, it’s a friendly power. The US is actually controlling the whole world in terms of everything."

Ansah: "I would say no and yes. Yes, in a way [...] they are helping. But when you look at how it relates to other countries, they see them as food.”

Evans: "For me, no. They are always ahead of you. They cannot say you are on par with them, that you’re a co-equal.”

Godwin: "It is multifaceted because although they are helping, their main aim is to benefit themselves.”

Ruth: "I would say the US is a friendly power [...] They’ve been helping Ghana in several sectors and then other countries as well."

Samuel: "They are disguised as a friendly power. They are our biggest enemy in terms of development, not just the US, the Western world. They come as friends, but they offload your resources outside, and they go and use them.”

Ebenezer: "Yes. [Laughs] The U.S. is a friendly power. I think that not everyone would agree with my assertions, but from what I've heard, America is the place where dreams come true."

John: "This is a critical question. In some of their actions, it looks as such. But in others, it doesn't look as such [...] They should allow other countries to exercise their wisdom."

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Erleyvaldo: "Yes, I believe so, because Brazil has a democracy the same as the US."

Tarcio: "Starting in January 2025, yes. Not before. Due to the left-wing president that was in charge and the right-wing president from January, the relationship will improve."

Victoria: "No. I think it only uses its economic ties, but I wouldn’t say they are exactly friends or an ally."

Brenno: "I’d say it’s a colleague. I don’t think they’re friends, like real friends, that would go to war on our side, but in terms of economics, definitely."

Maria Clara: "No, I don’t think they’re allies with Brazil. They don’t want other countries to reach their level."

Silvia: "I see politics worldwide, regardless of the nation, as lost and corrupted.”

Artur: "If you work with the big, you become big. If you work with the small, you remain small. The Americans are better at almost everything. If we ally with them, we’ll benefit a lot. American capitalism, not Chinese communism."

Mayara: "Not at all. They’re enemies. Brazilians over there are not treated well, and never will be."

Anderson: "Politically, not now. In the past, yes. If Bolsonaro were in charge, it would be different. The left and right don’t get along well."

Maria: "Look, I won’t say I understand much, but… I think it’s a friend, yes."

Tokyo, Japan

Interviewee 1: "To be honest, depends on who you’re asking. I’m from Spain, so I guess it could be."

Interviewee 2: "Depends on the context."

Interviewee 3: "Well, I've never been, so I don't know."

Interviewee 4: "No, the US is absolutely not a friendly power. Children in the Middle East wouldn't think that the US is a friendly power, or people of Vietnam 50 years ago. And I don't think it's necessarily restricted to the US either. I think the UK, NATO as a whole, Australia… I don't necessarily think they're the bad guys, but I don't necessarily think that they're this knight in shining armour.”

Interviewee 5: "Is it friendly to everyone? Certainly not. It sort of liked to portray itself as the knight in shining armour, and is very much not. But to my country, Australia, the US is definitely an ally."

Interviewee 6: "With the election of President Trump, certainly not. And with the money they've been sending to support Israel and the ways that they’ve been complicit in the genocide of Gazans, absolutely not."

Interviewee 7: "No. The US is a danger."

Interviewee 8: "They could have been. But no."

Interviewee 9: "No, not with Donald Trump in charge."

A Global South World video series

This is the first video of a Global South World’s series exploring global opinions on pressing issues.

You can share your thoughts on our Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , TikTok or X posts.

Stay tuned for more perspectives.

The Ukrainian populace has reacted with a mix of anger and defiance. Many citizens view the U.S. decision as a "stab in the back," feeling abandoned by a key ally at a critical juncture. Despite this sentiment, there is a prevailing resolve to resist Russian advances, reflecting the nation's resilience. ​