Exhibition of Achievements on China International Development Cooperation opens in Beijing

The China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) launched the Exhibition of Achievements on China International Development Cooperation in Beijing on April 26. More than 140 foreign envoys and representatives of international organizations in China, as well as senior Chinese officials from related ministries and commissions, attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in attendance and delivered a keynote speech themed on "Working Together to Promote Development Cooperation and Create a Brighter Future for Mankind".

In his speech, Wang said that over the past seven-plus decades, China has gone through a momentous journey in conducting foreign assistance and international development cooperation. Through foreign assistance and development cooperation, China and other developing countries have helped each other and progressed together. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), under the strong commitment and able leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the philosophy underlining China's international development cooperation has been constantly upgraded, the mechanism supporting China's international development cooperation has been further improved, and the contribution of China's international development cooperation has been growing.

China has kept to its approach and principle on foreign assistance and development cooperation. China always pursues equality and win-win cooperation, always honors its word and pursues real results, always aims at development and focuses on "how to fish", and is always committed to openness, inclusiveness and mutual learning. China's efforts have been widely welcomed and commended by the international community, Wang said.

Wang pointed out that the world is undergoing profound changes and a pandemic, both unseen in a century. Solidarity and cooperation need to be advocated to tide over this trying time. China will take health as a priority and vigorously support international cooperation against COVID-19, focus on green growth and work steadily to meet the sustainable development goals, focus on people's livelihoods and actively contribute to global economic recovery and follow multilateralism and promote global governance in development cooperation. China will continue to deepen international development cooperation, and contribute to common development and prosperity of the world.

Hosted by the CIDCA, the Exhibition of Achievements on China International Development Cooperation gives a panoramic display with pictures of the momentous achievements of China's international development cooperation since 1950, including the country's foreign aid against COVID-19 since 2020.

Established on April 18, 2018 as an agency directly affiliated to the State Council, the CIDCA aims to formulate strategic guidelines, plans and policies for foreign aid, coordinate and offer advice on major foreign aid issues, advance the country's reforms in matters involving foreign aid, and identify major foreign aid programs and supervise and evaluate their implementation. The launch of the exhibition marks the third anniversary of the establishment of the agency.

Luo Zhaohui, a senior diplomat who has served as ambassador to Pakistan, Canada and India and vice-foreign minister, was recently appointed as chairman of the CIDCA. At the opening ceremony, Luo said China's road to foreign assistance in the past 70 years has been filled with friendship, kindness, devotion and appreciation. All of these are spiritual characteristics boasted by the Chinese nation and also shared by humankind. They are created jointly by China and the world. He said that assistance is mutual and the hand that gives flowers can cling to a bit of fragrance. China will never forget that the international community rushed to assist it as the country was hit by the Wenchuan earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic. He pledged that the CIDCA will deepen international development cooperation under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and push for the common progress of mankind with priority given to the anti-pandemic foreign aid, particularly on vaccine cooperation.

The ceremony and the exhibition were well received by the attending guests. Khek M. Caimealy, dean of the diplomatic corps and Cambodian ambassador to China, and Siddharth Chatterjee, the United Nation's resident coordinator in China, delivered speeches at the ceremony, in which they spoke highly of China's achievements in foreign aid and international development cooperation. They congratulated China on the third anniversary of the establishment of the CIDCA, and expressed their willingness to continue to strengthen international development cooperation with China and jointly implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Khek M. Caimealy said China's foreign assistance mostly benefits developing countries, with two-thirds of it going to low-income countries. The high-quality connectivity and international cooperation among countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative can not only help to overcome the major economic challenges, but can also improve people's living conditions and create employment opportunities, accelerate economic and social development and strengthen regional communication. He said China has been actively providing anti-pandemic supplies to the parties in need since the outbreak of COVID-19. China's assistance is very valuable and important to other countries in need including Cambodia and Cambodia sincerely hopes to strengthen cooperation with China and win the battle against the pandemic finally.

Chatterjee said despite the challenges facing international development cooperation brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, China has shown perseverance and generosity in uniting other countries in the fight against the global challenge. He personally witnessed the positive influence the Belt and Road projects and other infrastructure assistance from China have rendered to local communities in Africa.

He said a full implementation of the work including the Belt and Road Initiative will help to lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty and 32 million out of moderate poverty, which will probably change the global poverty landscape, particularly in Africa. He said the United Nations will continue its close cooperation with China on poverty reduction, gender equality and women's empowerment and revitalize multilateralism. He said he hopes that the CIDCA will continue its work on teaching the world "how to fish" on its way towards achieving the SDGs.

The State Council Information Office issued a white paper titled "China's International Development Cooperation in the New Era" in this January. As China's first white paper on international development cooperation since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, the document expounds on China's views on international development cooperation in the new era, the actions it has taken and its plans for the future.