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Revitalising shared future

China endeavours to join hands with other countries to build a global community of developers

The Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by China is closely related to improving people’s livelihood and well-being, facilitates the realisation of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and provides other countries with ideas and inspiration for the formulation of policies for sustainable development, Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, told People’s Daily. Since it was proposed last September, the GDI has received swift response and support from more than 100 countries and international organisations, including the 53 UN countries, have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI launched by China’s Permanent Mission to the UN in January. As the Covid-19 pandemic is taking a heavy toll on global development, China calls on the international community to focus efforts on development, jointly promote development and build a global community of developers with a shared future, demonstrating the wisdom and strong sense of responsibility of a major country. The GDI has gained wide response and support because it responds to the general concerns of the international community.

As the largest developing country in the world, China always places development at the forefront of its governance and rejuvenation, adheres to a people-centred development philosophy, and attaches great importance to and actively participates in UN programmes for economic and social development.

China was among the first countries to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals, took the lead in implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and accounted for over 70 per cent of global poverty reduction, making important contributions to global development. China has helped its people enjoy better lives and hopes to improve the well-being of people in other countries through common development. China has helped the Philippines cultivate 226,500 hectares of commercial Chinese hybrid rice varieties, directly and indirectly benefiting more than 134,000 local farmers and raising the country’s grain output by 308 million kg. In the Pacific island country of Vanuatu, a Chinese company spent two years helping extend Malapoa College, an English-language secondary school in Port Vila. With new buildings, labs, dormitories, canteen, and playgrounds, the school took on a brand new look. Covid-19 vaccines provided by China were the first to arrive in Afghanistan and Syria, as well as other war-hit countries, bringing hope to people in difficult situations.

China will take a slew of pragmatic measures to speed up the implementation of the GDI. It will include enhancing consultation with other emerging markets and developing countries and holding a high-level meeting on global development to discuss ways to promote development. It will also include a holistic discussion on various topics including, increasing input in the development and further ramping up support for the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, and the China-UN Peace and Development Fund.

China will also actively work towards building on the consensus to establish a pool of GDI projects for the participation of all parties and releasing a Global Development Report in due time to promote international exchanges in and sharing of development knowledge.