BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The first high-level conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development was held in Beijing on Monday.
The conference was hosted by the China International Development Cooperation Agency with the theme "Global Development Initiative: Echo the Development Agenda and Call for Global Action."
Focusing on eight key areas of cooperation under the Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by China, more than 800 participants discussed and exchanged views on how to accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.
In a congratulatory letter to the conference, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized that development is the eternal theme of human society, and shared development is an important path to building a better world.
As the largest developing country, China has always placed its own development within the larger context of human development and created new opportunities for the development of the world through its own development, Xi said.
China will further increase its resource input for global development cooperation, work with the international community to further advance the GDI, and make new contributions to the realization of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, the Chinese president said.
Xi's letter and the topics discussed at the conference have resonated with the participants who called for greater consensus and concerted efforts in accelerating common development.
Reducing poverty and ensuring food security are important goals of the UN's sustainable development agenda. China's achievements in poverty eradication have been significant contributions to the global poverty reduction cause, and also brought important inspiration to other developing countries to get rid of poverty, said Kan Zaw, Union Minister of Myanmar's Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations.
The GDI has made poverty reduction one of its key focuses, which is in line with common aspiration of people of all countries for a better life, and Myanmar fully supports the initiative, he said.
"China has realized the poverty reduction target of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule, making positive contributions to the agenda's global implementation and setting an example for other developing countries," said Zhou Taidong, deputy director of the Center for International Knowledge on Development.
President Xi's congratulatory letter once again demonstrated China's strong will and determination to implement the GDI, push the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and build a community with a shared future for mankind, Zhou said.
Jong-Jin Kim, assistant director-general of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said FAO highly appreciated China's strong commitment to international development cooperation and thanked the Chinese government for supporting South-South cooperation.
The GDI's eight key cooperation areas are highly relevant to FAO's priorities, Kim said. FAO will continue to strengthen international cooperation with China in the food sector and make greater contributions to accelerating the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and building a world without hunger and poverty, Kim added.
Xi's letter to the conference has reminded Lin Zhanxi, chief scientist of the China National Engineering Research Center for Juncao Technology, of using the Chinese-invented technology to assist other countries.
Juncao, which literally means "mushroom" and "grass," refers to the technology using grass to grow mushrooms.
China's Juncao technology has opened up a new path for developing countries, from South Pacific to Africa and Latin America, to increase employment, eradicate poverty, and achieve sustainable development, Lin said, adding that China has currently shared the technology with 106 countries worldwide.
Ahmed Latheef, foreign secretary of the Maldivian foreign ministry, said the Maldives appreciates China's commitment to addressing climate change and achieving green development. The Maldives hopes to further cooperate with China in the blue economy and jointly promote the sustainable development of oceans and seas, he added.
Ugandan Foreign Minister Odongo Jeje Abu expressed appreciation for China's contribution to the development of key infrastructure in Uganda. He said Uganda will continue to support the global initiatives proposed by China and expects the cooperation between Africa and China to reach a new high.
Ban Ki-moon, former UN secretary-general and now chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia, said only through joint efforts can the goals of sustainable development be realized. He called on all countries to unite as one and work together to achieve the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
To support the implementation of the GDI, China announced 32 concrete actions in 2022, half of which have been accomplished by now. The GDI project pool, with its first list of projects released last year, is being enlarged and now includes nearly 200 projects. China has created the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund and increased its capital to 4 billion U.S. dollars.
Over 100 countries and international organizations showed their support of the GDI, and nearly 70 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI. China has also signed Memorandums of Understanding on cooperation with nearly 20 countries and international organizations in this regard. ■
The first high-level conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development is held in Beijing, capital of China, July 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)
