CIDCA chairman meets with journalist for ‘passage interview’ at two sessions

Wang Xiaotao, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), answered questions from a Hong Kong Economic Herald correspondent in a “passage interview” at this year’s two sessions on March 3.

Wang said that the CIDCA was officially established on April 18, 2018 as part of China’s major institutional reform. It was an important reform of the country’s foreign aid system and a milestone in the history of the country's foreign aid work.

Wang said that over the past year, under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, all work has been carried out in an orderly manner. The CIDCA adheres to the correct concept of justice and benefit, provides assistance to developing countries, and has won wide acclaim from the international community. The CIDCA has strengthened overall coordination, promoted reform of foreign aid work, improved comprehensive effectiveness, enhanced supervision and evaluation, and extensively carried out international exchanges. All work has achieved a good start.

Wang said that foreign aid work must have new roles and new actions in the new era. The CIDCA will serve major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and the construction of the Belt and Road. It will inherit the glorious tradition of China’s foreign aid work, and show the Chinese people’s sense of justice and compassion and their willingness to help those in need in the international community.

The CIDCA will also work together with other countries and international organizations to make positive contributions to the implementation of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

He said that China is still a developing country, and the regional and urban-rural development imbalances still exist. The task of developing and improving people's livelihoods is still very arduous. Therefore, China's foreign aid is still within the scope of South-South cooperation. "Doing what you can and doing your best" is an important principle that the CIDCA has adhered to. China will carefully calculate and make sure that every penny of foreign aid is spent wisely.