By Yu Zirong
Development is a timeless theme for humanity. As the largest developing country, China has always been an active contributor to global development, providing new opportunities to the world through its own progress.
China has put forward initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative (GDI), actively promoting international development cooperation to higher quality and levels. This demonstrates China’s strong sense of responsibility as a major country in deepening South-South cooperation and promoting global development.
Since Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, China has provided training to over 100,000 professionals from more than 120 Belt and Road partner countries and helped lift nearly 40 million people out of poverty.
In recent years, through mechanisms such as the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, the China-UN Peace and Development Fund, the South-South Cooperation Fund on Climate Change, and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund, China has continuously increased resource input, optimized cooperation methods, and expanded financing channels to support the common development of countries.
A large number of infrastructure projects, such as the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge and the New Gwadar International Airport in Pakistan, have been successfully implemented.
Additionally, small-scale yet impactful projects like Juncao technology, hybrid rice production, the Luban Workshop, the Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages Project, and the “Bright Journey” Program of cataract surgery have become well-known brands.
These projects have significantly improved the livelihoods of local communities and empowered the economic and social development of the respective countries, and have been welcomed by developing countries.
In recent years, multiple crises have converged, with global economic growth slowing down and the development agenda facing setbacks. The implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has been progressing slowly.
Faced with the deepening uncertainty in global development prospects, Xi has put forward the GDI, emphasizing the importance of common development for all humanity and actively bringing development back to the center of the international agenda.
The GDI aims to accelerate the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, focusing on the most urgent livelihood needs of developing countries.
Drawing on its historic achievements in poverty alleviation, China shares its experience and provides poverty reduction solutions to other developing countries. It has established agricultural technology demonstration centers to help address food crises. It has built low-carbon demonstration zones to help other developing countries tackle climate crises and achieve green and low-carbon development. China mobilizes resources from various parties to contribute to the global development fund, with Chinese financial institutions launching a $10 billion special fund specifically for the implementation of the GDI.
Currently, China is comprehensively advancing 32 practical measures to implement the GDI, with over 500 projects completed or underway, injecting new impetus into addressing the global development deficit.
Under the guidance of the GDI, China is taking concrete actions to promote the building of a global community of development with a shared future and enhance the effectiveness of development cooperation among all parties, so as to achieve common development that benefits all of humanity.
China will continue to actively contribute to improving global development governance, further leveraging platforms and mechanisms such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, and the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Forum.
It will strengthen cooperation with international organizations, regional organizations, and financial institutions, and mobilize government, business, and social forces to participate in international development cooperation.
“Global South” is an important force in promoting world peace and development. As a member of the “Global South,” China will continue to deepen South-South cooperation, enhance the voice and influence of the “Global South” in international affairs, and work together with all parties to actively implement GDI. It will promote deeper and more substantial international development cooperation, contribute wisdom and strength to addressing global development challenges, and make greater contributions to making global development more robust, greener, and healthier.
(Yu Zirong is the deputy director of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce.)
