Luo Zhaohui: Promoting joint building of Belt and Road major task of intl development cooperation for China

Luo Zhaohui, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), delivered a keynote speech at the Sustainable Development Forum 2021 on Sept 27.

Luo said promoting the joint building of the Belt and Road is a major task of international development cooperation for China, and helping other developing countries realize  the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an important direction of China's international development cooperation.

Luo said this year marks the 71st year of China's international development cooperation. Over the past 70-plus years, China has provided assistance of various kinds to more than 160 developing countries, implemented thousands of material assistance projects, carried out more than 10,000 technological cooperation and human resources development cooperation projects, and trained more than 400,000 people in developing countries. China established the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund and Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development, which provide strong support to other developing countries in realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has launched the most intensive and wide-ranging emergency humanitarian operation. 

China has firmly honored its solemn commitment of making vaccines a global public good, and has so far provided more than 1.25 billion doses of vaccines to more than 100 countries around the world, ranking first in the world. To date, China has provided more than 290 billion facial masks, 3.5 billion protective suits and 4.5 billion testing kits to the world and has sent 37 medical expert teams to 34 countries. 

China's assistance is without any conditions but has won friendship and support from countries and people that have received help. The CIDCA has held three important commemorative events, the 70th anniversary of China's international development cooperation work, the 20th anniversary of Juncao assistance and sustainable development cooperation, and the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund and Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development. The events received two congratulatory letters from President Xi Jinping and wide participation from developing countries and UN institutions, which lauded China's selfless assistance.