Washington, United States - February 20, 2025 China's foreign policy, focused on multilateralism and mutual benefits, is making waves in the Global South by providing vital investment and trade opportunities that are reshaping the landscape for developing nations, said a professor from the U.S., during an interview. This month, China has assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, and on Tuesday Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi chaired the Security Council's high-level meeting on "Practicing multilateralism, reforming and improving global governance" at the UN headquarters in New York. In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Anton Fedyashin, an associate professor in History at the American University, said China is attracting countries to the vision of multilateralism through economic cooperation. In contrast, the United States is pursuing an "America First" policy that heavily relies on sanctions and financial weaponization, aiming to maximize American interests, even at the expense of its allies. Shotlist: Washington D.C., USA - Feb 20, 2025: FILE: Beijing, China - Date Unknown 1. Aerial shot of traffic Chang'an Avenue, Chinese national flag, Tian'anmen Rostrum; 2. Various of cityscape, traffic; Washington D.C., USA - Feb 20, 2025 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Anton Fedyashin, associate professor, History Department, American University (starting with shot 2/ending with shot 4): "Well, in terms of the Chinese, defining a world where win-win is the principle guiding idea. In that sense, what the Chinese are proposing so far, compared to what the Trump administration is practicing, certainly appeals to the rest of the world, because the Chinese are bringing an enormous amount of investment."; FILE: Lagos, Nigeria - Date Unknown 4. Building with sign reading "Lekki Port"; 5. Various of port scenes; FILE: Northern Cape, South Africa - 2021 6. Aerial shots of wind turbines; Washington D.C., USA - Feb 20, 2025 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Anton Fedyashin, associate professor, History Department, American University (starting with shots 5-6/ending with shots 8-9): "Look at the amount of African countries, for example, who have turned towards China, because the Chinese bring investments and infrastructure, something that parts of Africa need sorely. Instead of long lectures about how they should structure their societies and organize them politically, what the Chinese bring are investments and then trading opportunities. And this is why they've been so far much more successful than the United States and are actually winning the hearts and minds of the Global South."; Washington D.C., USA - Jan 20, 2025 8. Various of Capitol building; traffic; FILE: Washington D.C., USA - Oct 2024 9. Various of White House, U.S. national flag; FILE: Beijing, China - Date Unknown 10. Various of U.S. dollar banknotes going through cash counting machine; FILE: New York City, USA - Oct 2024 11. Various of port, Statue of Liberty; FILE: Washington D.C., USA - Oct 2024 12. Various of national flags of U.S.; Washington D.C., USA - Feb 20, 2025 13. SOUNDBITE (English) Anton Fedyashin, associate professor, History Department, American University (starting with shots 10-12/ending with shots 8-9): "What we saw is the weaponization of American investments, the weaponization of the American financial system. Once you start using sanctions and the banking system and insurance companies as ways to force states, other countries, into towing your line, it may work with your close allies, such as Europe, for a while, but it's going to simply alienate the rest of the world. So now, multilateralism is where we're heading. So far, the Chinese are very intelligently playing their cards in order to attract the rest of the world to their vision of multilateralism."; FILE: Shanghai, China - Date Unknown 14. Aerial shots of port. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]