CIDCA's book launch aims to tell China-aid stories

The China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) hosted a launch event for its newly compiled book Rose Stories Along the Belt and Road on Sept 15. 

Deng Boqing, vice-chairman of the CIDCA, addressed the event and shared China's stories in international development cooperation in the co-construction of the Belt and Road. Officials from the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, and National Health Commission, as well as foreign diplomats to China from countries including Benin, Mongolia, Laos, and Nigeria, and the UNESCO representative to China, attended the event. Representatives from major Chinese media outlets, including People's Daily, Xinhua, and CCTV, were also in attendance. 

Deng said that the book is a record of China’s close cooperation with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the field of development, fully depicted how the initiative developed from a concept into action, from a vision into reality. It reflected the idea of the world belonging to all and a grand harmony of the whole world as a community in traditional Chinese culture, and trailed the footsteps of China’s foreign aid and international development cooperation, he said. 

In the past 72 years, China has always adhered to the concept of pursuing the greater good and shared interests under the guiding principle of internationalism and humanitarianism, and provided assistance to the socioeconomic development of other developing countries, which has contributed towards achieving the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Deng said. 

He also reiterated that China didn’t halt co-building of the Belt and Road though facing the COVID-19 pandemic unseen in a century. Instead, China took the lead in the global cooperation against the virus, joined hands with other countries against this global challenge and proactively carried out assistance with the concept of “showing people how to fish rather than just giving them a fish”, in a bid to contribute to the sustainable development of the world. China is willing to work with all countries in implementing the BRI, the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative so that the world can be embraced with development and peace.

Attending government and media representatives lauded China's achievements over the past nine years in building the Belt and Road, which has become a well-recognized global public good, and a key platform to realize the community with a shared future for mankind. They also commented that the book was a vivid demonstration of China's sense of responsibility to seek happiness for mankind. 

Attending foreign diplomats took the book as a witness and ode to friendship. It demonstrated China's people-centered approach in fulfilling its international obligations, which brought a sense of happiness and gain for the people of developing countries. They extended their appreciation for China's BRI and GDI, and called for the international community to unite as one and jointly tackle the increasingly difficult and complex global situation.