China will work together with the international community to increase input in global development cooperation and advance practical cooperation on key areas proposed in the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.
Zhao was addressing a regular presser during which he was asked to comment on the progress of the GDI and its way forward.
Responding to the question, Zhao said that since President Xi Jinping put forward the GDI last September, the initiative has received positive and warm responses.
“More than 100 countries and many international organizations, including the UN, have supported the GDI, and nearly 60 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI set up by China on the UN platform,” Zhao said, alluding to the success of the initiative.
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He said that leaders of many countries spoke highly of the GDI, saying that it well meets the urgent development needs of all countries, developing countries in particular, and provides a feasible pathway for accelerating the realization of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Talking about the future goals of the initiative, Zhao said China would work together with the international community to actively implement the outcomes of the Dialogue, encourage the international community to focus on development issues, increase input in global development cooperation, advance practical cooperation in key areas as set out in the GDI.
These areas include poverty alleviation, food security, COVID-19 response and vaccines, development financing, climate change and green development, industrialization, digital economy and connectivity.
“The GDI follows the spirit of open and inclusive partnership. We welcome the participation of all countries and international organizations, UN agencies in particular and developed countries included, so as to create the strongest synergy for accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” Zhao added to his remarks.
