Your Excellency Ambassador Munir Akram,

Under-Secretary-General Liu Zhenmin,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to attend the 2021 UN Development Cooperation Forum. At the high-level meeting to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the UN last year, President Xi Jinping proposed that as the UN advances its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the issue of development should be highlighted in the global macro framework; and there should be a greater emphasis on the promotion and protection of the rights to subsistence and development.

Now, the combined forces of changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century have brought the world into a phase of fluidity and transformation. Instability and uncertainty are clearly on the rise. The UN Development Cooperation Forum plays an indispensable role in promoting international development cooperation. Leaving No One Behind is a solemn commitment made in the 2030 Agenda. China stands ready to work with all parties to build more equal and balanced global partnership for development to ensure that the fruits of development benefit more developing countries.

Mr. Chairman,

As the largest developing country in the world and an active contributor to the international development cooperation, China has provided support to the best of its ability for development cooperation.

First, on joint COVID-19 responses. At the opening of the 73rd World Health Assembly, President Xi Jinping announced five initiatives to support the global fight against the pandemic. At the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference held on April 20, President Xi reiterated that China will honor its commitment of making vaccines a global public good. China has so far carried out joint production of vaccines with over 10 countries. Chinese vaccines have been or are being exported or donated to 127 countries and 4 international organizations.

Second, on trade and investment. Through Aid for Trade, China has helped developing countries improve their terms of trade and enhance their capacity for trade development. We have granted zero-tariff treatment to exports from the least developed countries having diplomatic ties with China under 97% of tariff items. So far, 41 countries have enjoyed this preferential treatment.

Third, on green development. China takes the lead in fulfilling its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to advance green Belt and Road cooperation. At the Leaders Summit on Climate held on April 22, President Xi Jinping reiterated that China will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

Fourth, on financial support. China has always paid its UN membership dues on time and in full, and made voluntary contributions to relevant UN agencies. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has donated a total of US$50 million to the World Health Organization and set up a global humanitarian response depot and hub in China.

Fifth, on poverty reduction cooperation. China takes an active part in promoting international cooperation and strives to build the Belt and Road into a “road out of poverty”. We have helped lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty and 32 million out of moderate poverty in relevant countries.

Mr. Chairman,

At present, the world is faced with increasingly salient problems in unbalanced and inadequate global development, and developing countries face severe challenges in poverty reduction, medical and health care, responses to natural disasters and other areas. To this end, I wish to make the following three proposals:

First, we need to invest more to faithfully implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Resources input is an important support for implementing the 2030 Agenda. The international community should act in solidarity and keep North-South cooperation as the main channel and South-South cooperation as a useful complement. China calls on developed countries to fulfill their ODA commitments in a timely manner and stands ready to deepen South-South cooperation and trilateral cooperation with developing countries to increase resources input for development cooperation.

Second, we need to make concerted efforts to carry out practical international cooperation in the fight against the pandemic. Pandemic prevention and control is the common responsibility and top priority of the international community. The international community should put protecting the people and human life above everything else, and integrate COVID-19 prevention and control with development. We need to step up international cooperation on the R&D, production and distribution of vaccines to make them more accessible and affordable in developing countries, promote their equitable distribution, and jointly build a global community of health for all.

Third, we need coordination to bring the strengths of UN development agencies into full play. UN development agencies have their unique advantages when it comes to resources and technical capacity for implementing the 2030 Agenda. China supports relevant UN agencies in fulfilling their duties, carrying out policy coordination, and drawing on each other’s strengths, so that they can work as one for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Mr. Chairman,

President Xi Jinping said at the Boao Forum for Asia that China will build a closer partnership for openness and inclusiveness. China will speed up efforts to foster a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other. This new development paradigm will boost global demand and create more opportunities for the rest of the world. We stand ready to work with all parties to engage in closer macroeconomic policy coordination, keep global industrial and supply chains stable and open, and help countries reopen and recover their economies. China will continue to be an active participant in international development cooperation, a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of international order. We wish to make greater contribution to increasing the shared benefits for all and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

In conclusion, I wish this forum a great success.

Thank you.