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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on October 19, 2022
2022-10-19 19:14

CCTV: We noted that the Global Development Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping a year ago has been widely supported and well received by the international community. Could you update us on anything about this initiative and in particular on the progress of its implementation?

Wang Wenbin: Development is an eternal theme of humanity. Without development, nothing would be possible. During the General Debate of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly in September last year, President Xi Jinping put forth the Global Development Initiative (GDI) with an aim to refocus international attention on the issue of development, step up international cooperation and provide China’s insight and solution for solving difficult development issues and speeding up implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The initiative has been warmly received by the international community since its inception. It is a rallying call to galvanize support for the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. It offers a roadmap for bridging the North-South gap and a strong boost to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Over the past year or so, with the concerted effort from both China and the rest of the international community, the GDI has witnessed solid implementation. It has not only achieved multiple early harvests, but also enjoyed progress on a full range of fronts with clear priorities. It signifies that the GDI has progressed from laying the foundation to establishing the pillars and is evolving from broad strokes to refined details. 

First, galvanizing international consensus on promoting cooperation under the GDI and speeding up the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. More than 100 countries and many international organizations have supported the GDI and nearly 60 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI. The GDI has been incorporated into the cooperation documents between China and ASEAN, Central Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific Island countries. Last June, when hosting the High-level Dialogue on Global Development, President Xi Jinping announced 32 important measures to implement the GDI, which helped to bring development back to the center of the international agenda and received high recognition.

Second, establishing two financing platforms. The Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund pledged by President Xi Jinping has been set up and is now supporting cooperation under the GDI. Phase III of the FAO-China South-South Cooperation (SSC) Trust Fund has been officially launched. In the meantime, we are exploring new ways to raise fund and mobilize various parties to pitch in and advance practical cooperation in the eight key areas as identified by the initiative. 

Third, advancing institution building for cooperation in various sectors. China has set up a Global Development Promotion Center to provide an action platform for implementing the GDI. We launched and established such platforms as a World TVET League, the China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Action Cooperation Center, an International NGOs Network for Poverty Reduction Cooperation, and worked with all sides to foster cooperation networks in such areas as agriculture, education, epidemic response and climate action. Not long ago, China hosted a ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of the GDI, where new actions in seven areas and the first batch of projects of the GDI project pool were released, including 50 practical cooperation projects on poverty reduction, food security and industrialization and more than 1,000 capacity building projects.

Fourth, enhancing knowledge-sharing on development. We have issued the first Global Development Report, which provides insight for the global development cause. We are accelerating efforts to build a Global Knowledge Network for Development and engaging actively in experience-sharing on state governance and development to promote mutual learning among countries.

The GDI is an example of China contributing its solutions to addressing the global governance deficit and other global challenges. It is a vivid illustration of building a community with a shared future for mankind that demonstrates the sense of responsibility of China’s diplomacy in the new era. The CPC always puts the people front and center. We hope to see people of all countries as well as the Chinese people lead better lives. Going forward, we will continue to see China’s development as part of human development and contribute to global development, provide public goods, and work together with the people of all countries to inject stability and positive energy into a world fraught with uncertainties and make new progress in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Yonhap News Agency: The DPRK fired artillery shells towards its maritime buffer zones with the ROK late October 18. Do you have any comment? Another question, will China send a senior official to the DPRK after the 20th CPC National Congress to share outcomes of the congress?

Wang Wenbin: On your first question, we have noted relevant reports and the statement from the DPRK. It is hoped that all parties will bear in mind the overall interest of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, stay committed to seeking a political settlement, address each other’s concerns in a balanced way through dialogue and consultation, and avoid triggering a spiral escalation of the situation.

As to your second question, I would like to refer you to the competent authorities.

Dragon TV: Kelsey-2, a ROK cargo vessel, listed in waters near Putian, Fujian Province on October 15. After the speedy rescue by the Chinese side, more than 20 crew members have been safely relocated. What is your comment? 

Wang Wenbin: China and the ROK are close neighbors and have a tradition of helping each other in the wake of natural disasters and emergencies. After receiving the distress signal from the ROK cargo vessel, relevant Chinese agencies immediately organized effective rescue efforts. The ROK side thanked the Chinese side for the rescue. Previously, the ROK side had helped distressed Chinese fishermen and crew members multiple times as well. This is cooperation based on humanitarianism and a reflection of the friendship between our two countries.

CCTV: The past decade witnessed China’s active participation in the reform and improvement of the global governance system. But some Western media are concerned that China may try to change the international order. How does China view its status and role in global governance?

Wang Wenbin: Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China has always been on the side of solidarity and cooperation, on the side of the trend of the times, and on the side of the common interests of the vast majority of countries. We have participated in the reform and improvement of the global governance system with unprecedented breadth, depth and strength, worked to build a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, equity, justice and mutually beneficial cooperation, and promoted the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

China is a staunch defender of the existing international order. We have always firmly upheld the international system with the UN at its core, the international order underpinned by the international law and the multilateral trading system centered on the World Trade Organization. Over the past decade, China has steadily increased its contribution to the UN’s regular budget and become the second largest contributor to the UN’s regular budget and peacekeeping assessments. China has actively and fully delivered on its WTO accession commitments, significantly expanded market access, and continued to open up to the world at a high level. The overall import tariff has been lowered from 15.3% to 7.4%. Of the 160 services sub-sectors of the WTO, China has opened approximately 120 to foreign suppliers. We have reviewed and revised nearly 200,000 laws and regulations. China also took an active part in the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference and facilitated the adoption of outcomes of the conference, demonstrating its determination to strengthen solidarity and coordination and safeguard the multilateral trading system. 

China is an active contributor to world peace, common development and response to global challenges. President Xi Jinping proposed a united, equal, balanced and inclusive global development partnership and a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and put forward the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, which are welcomed by the international community. China is among the first countries to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals. We contributed an average of 38.6% to the world economic growth in the past decade, more than any other country in the world. China takes an active part in the mediation of hotspot issues, including the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Iranian nuclear issue and Afghanistan, and efforts for their political settlement. China sends more peacekeepers than any other permanent members of the Security Council. Chinese military vessels have participated in escort missions in the Gulf of Aden for 14 consecutive years. China also put forward an initiative on international food security cooperation and the Global Initiative on Data Security, worked for the conclusion of the Paris Agreement, committed itself to the two goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and provided more than 2.2 billion doses of COVID vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations, making China’s contribution to the response to global challenges.

China is a responsible major country working to reform and improve the global governance system. China calls for a vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. We work for the G20’s transition to a mechanism of long-term governance. We initiated the establishment of the AIIB and the NDB to build new cooperation platforms for global economic governance and foster an open world economy. China is committed to deepening BRICS cooperation. We have put in place an extensive BRICS-plus platform, and kept improving the representation and say of emerging markets and developing countries in international affairs.

No matter how the international situation may evolve, China’s resolve to practice true multilateralism stays unchanged; our commitment to improving global governance stays unchanged; and our dedication to promoting multilateral cooperation stays unchanged. China upholds openness and inclusiveness rather than a closed-door and exclusionary approach, international law rather than supremacy over others, consultation and cooperation rather than conflict and confrontation, and development in keeping with the times rather than self-isolation. China will continue to take an active part in the reform and improvement of the global governance system, promote greater democracy in international relations and foster a more equitable and reasonable global governance system. We will take real actions to work on the deficits in global governance, respond to global challenges and contribute our wisdom and strength to building a community with a shared future for mankind.


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