China to form intl development cooperation agency

BEIJING — China plans to set up an international development cooperation agency, according to a plan available to the media on the morning of March 13.

The move is to give full play to foreign aid as a key means of major-country diplomacy, enhance strategic planning and coordination of foreign aid, and better serve the country’s overall diplomatic layout and the Belt and Road Initiative.

The new agency will be responsible for making strategic guidelines, plans and policies on foreign aid; coordinating and making suggestions on major issues related to it; pushing forward reform of the means of aid-giving; making foreign aid plans and overseeing and evaluating their implementation.

The plan on institutional restructuring of the State Council, or the cabinet, will be tabled to the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress for approval.