Development initiative helps rekindle hope

Tourists in Beijing's Pinggu district harvest peaches during the local farmers' busy season. [Photo by Geng Dapeng/For China Daily]

FM: China's proposal 'warmly received, strongly supported' by over 100 nations

As development is getting increasingly marginalized on the international agenda amid the COVID-19 pandemic and regional conflicts, the China-proposed Global Development Initiative has rekindled hope among countries around the world about achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, according to diplomats and leaders of international organizations.

President Xi Jinping, who proposed the initiative at the UN in September, will chair the High-level Dialogue on Global Development on Friday. He will be joined by leaders of emerging markets and developing countries in a discussion of global development to reinvigorate international cooperation on development.

The initiative is "a promising response to the call for this decade of action" to promote the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, Siddharth Chatterjee, the UN Resident Coordinator in China, said on Monday at an event in Beijing on the launch of the Global Development Report.

Chatterjee said that the world today faces the profound, growing and interconnected challenges of a persisting pandemic, the climate crisis, conflicts, a fragile and uneven economic recovery, growing inflation, poverty and hunger, and rising inequality within and between countries. "China's responsible leadership at this critical time is welcome," he added.

The Global Development Initiative is an initiative to support the development of developing countries, promote global economic recovery in the post-pandemic era and strengthen international development cooperation.

The report, issued by the Center for International Knowledge on Development in Beijing, reviews progress on the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and existing challenges, and lays out policy recommendations for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Addressing Monday's event via video link, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that the initiative, which aims to expedite the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and promotes stronger, greener and healthier global development, has been "warmly received and strongly supported by more than 100 countries".

"The GDI is a rallying call to galvanize greater attention on development and bring it back to the center of the international agenda," Wang said. "It offers a 'fast track' to promote development, as well as an effective platform for all parties to coordinate development policies and deepen practical cooperation."

Noting that China is a consistent advocate of global development cooperation, Wang said: "We will stay committed to true multilateralism and an open and inclusive spirit of partnership, and actively share development expertise and experience. We are ready to work with all parties to implement the GDI, step up efforts to advance the 2030 Agenda, and build a global community of development."

A worker inspects cables of the floating photovoltaic project in Rayong, Thailand, April 11, 2022. The project was constructed by Banpu Company of Thailand with support of Chinese technology company Huawei. [Photo/Xinhua]

Hassane Rabehi, the Algerian ambassador to China, said that the initiative is a real expression of China's full commitment to multilateralism and a demonstration of its active and leading role in international development cooperation, as well as a general call by developing countries for common development.

"The GDI is China's proposal for solving the problems and challenges facing humanity. It emphasizes peace and development, reduces the gap in terms of development between the North and the South, gives concrete content to the concept of human rights and promotes people's well-being," Rabehi said.

Noting that the timing of the initiative is very crucial, Egyptian Ambassador to China Mohamed Elbadri said that he firmly believes the GDI will "strongly contribute to our joint effort in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and presents an excellent, inclusive, transparent platform to share best practices and relevant experiences" for the purposes of achieving the goals.