CIDCA holds press conference for Q2 2025 (full text)

China News Service: The Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has concluded in Changsha, Hunan province. Could you brief us on the major outcomes of the meeting? What progress has been made in implementing the outcomes led by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA)?

Li Ming: On June 11, the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of FOCAC was successfully held in Changsha. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter for the meeting in which he profoundly elaborated on the significance of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation, announced major measures for expanding China's opening-up and cooperation with Africa, and provided strategic guidance for advancing modernization together and building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

On the sidelines of the meeting, CIDCA Chairman Chen Xiaodong held meetings with ministerial-level officials from 20 African countries and reached a number of important consensus on cooperation.

China always honors its commitments and delivers on its promises. As one of the three Chinese co-chairs of the Follow-up Action Committee of FOCAC, the CIDCA has actively advanced assistance to Africa and development cooperation to implement the "ten partnership actions".

We have continued to deepen industrial cooperation. China is currently carrying out agricultural technology assistance programs in 21 African countries, with more than 200 Chinese agricultural experts working on the ground. We have provided multiple shipments of emergency food to African countries in need; jointly implemented supporting projects for industrial parks in the areas of power infrastructure, talent cultivation and capacity building; and engaged in cooperation on clean energy and green development projects such as hydropower, photovoltaic power generation and water supply.

We have continued to enhance health cooperation. China has provided support and assistance to African countries affected by outbreaks such as mpox and cholera, jointly implemented demonstration projects on malaria elimination, and helped African countries upgrade existing medical and health facilities or build new ones.

We have helped Africa improve connectivity. China has supported infrastructure development across the continent. While deepening cooperation in traditional sectors such as railways, highways, aviation, electricity and telecommunications, we have also expanded cooperation into emerging fields including the digital economy and information networks.

We have helped African countries strengthen capacity building. Through policy consultation, thematic training and other forms of cooperation, China has shared governance experience and development practices in areas closely related to national development and people's well-being, including connectivity, health, agriculture and poverty reduction, trade and investment. Since last year's FOCAC Summit, nearly 15,000 professionals from various fields have received training.

We have continued to support people-to-people exchanges between China and Africa. China has helped African countries improve sports venues, broadcasting centers, cultural centers and other cultural and sports facilities; supported the establishment of Luban Workshops and Confucius Institutes; and will provide venue support, capacity-building assistance and opening ceremony-related training for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games to be held in Africa.

We have actively implemented the Global Development Initiative (GDI). China has actively implemented the China-Africa Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative signed during the FOCAC Summit, and has continued to work with African countries to develop the Global Development Promotion Center's network.

China National Radio: The second China-Central Asia Summit was recently held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, and produced a list of more than 100 outcomes. We noted that at least two of these are directly related to the CIDCA. How will the CIDCA implement these measures and further advance development cooperation with Central Asian countries?

Li Ming: The second China-Central Asia Summit was successfully held in Astana, yielding fruitful outcomes in development cooperation and many other areas. Taking this summit as a new starting point, the CIDCA will continue to strengthen communication and coordination with Central Asian countries and deepen bilateral and multilateral development cooperation.

We will formulate assistance plans in a science-based manner and further align our assistance with the development strategies of Central Asian countries. Priority will be given to discussing and implementing assistance projects in such fields as healthcare, education, agriculture, transportation and trade promotion, thereby advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

We will fully implement China's commitment to provide 1.5 billion yuan in grant assistance to Central Asian countries this year. We will coordinate the implementation of both landmark projects and "small yet smart" livelihood projects, accelerate project approval and implementation in light of the economic and social development needs and livelihood priorities of Central Asian countries, promote economic revitalization, and improve people's well-being.

We will make better use of bilateral assistance, the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, the Global Development Initiative Special Fund and other resources to advance the implementation of the GDI in Central Asia. We will continue to actively carry out cooperation on human resources development. Over the next two years, China will provide 3,000 training opportunities for Central Asian countries, strengthen exchanges on governance experience, and cultivate more professionals in various fields to support their economic and social development.

There is a proverb in Central Asia that says, "Harmony and unity bring happiness and prosperity." China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi has also stressed that China does not pursue modernization for itself alone, but is committed to common development and win-win cooperation with all countries. Through concrete actions, the CIDCA will provide tangible support for the economic and social development of Central Asian countries and work with them to forge a broad path toward shared modernization.

Phoenix TV: In May this year, the fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China–CELAC Forum was successfully held. China and the member states of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) jointly adopted the Joint Action Plan for Cooperation in Key Areas (2025–2027). Could you brief us on what work the CIDCA will undertake to implement the Plan?

Li Ming: On May 13, the fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China–CELAC Forum was successfully held in Beijing. President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech, in which he systematically reviewed the successful experience of China–Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) relations and announced the launch of five programs covering solidarity, development, civilization, peace, and people-to-people connectivity. These initiatives will further consolidate the political foundation, promote common prosperity, deepen mutual learning among civilizations, safeguard regional stability, and strengthen friendship between the peoples, providing a clear direction for building a China–LAC community with a shared future.

As the Chinese saying goes, "True friendship knows no distance; even thousands of miles apart, close friends remain neighbors." Despite the vast oceans separating us, China's assistance to LAC countries has never ceased. During the preparations for the meeting, the CIDCA proposed a series of measures, including "small yet smart" livelihood projects and human resources training programs for LAC countries, and introduced a package of country-specific assistance measures. These proposals were warmly welcomed by the LAC side and made important contributions to enriching the outcomes of the meeting and enhancing its effectiveness.

Going forward, the CIDCA will focus on the development agenda, actively advance the implementation of the GDI in LAC, promote cooperation under the GDI framework, and foster high-quality development partnerships. From 2025 to 2027, China will provide 10,000 training opportunities in China for CELAC member states, implement 300 " small yet smart" livelihood projects, and, in light of the actual needs of CELAC member states, provide assistance within its capacity in disaster prevention and mitigation.

People's Daily: Since the beginning of this year, outcomes and initiatives on human resources development cooperation have featured prominently in many head-of-state diplomatic engagements, covering more than 100 countries across five continents. Could you introduce China's progress in foreign assistance on human resource development cooperation?

Li Ming: Thank you for your question.

Human resources development cooperation is an important practice through which China upholds the people-centered development philosophy and promotes the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. It is also a hallmark of China's foreign assistance that emphasizes teaching people how to fish rather than simply giving them fish. In recent years, we have actively served head-of-state diplomacy by supporting and fully implementing initiatives on human resources development cooperation announced at bilateral and multilateral events such as the China–Central Asia Summit, the China–CELAC Forum, the BRICS Leaders' Meeting, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum.

China's foreign assistance in human resources development has a proud tradition. Over the past 70-plus years, we have focused on the practical needs and development priorities of countries of the Global South, sharing advanced technologies, management expertise, and development concepts without reservation. We have provided intellectual support to strengthen development capacity across the Global South, improving livelihoods and benefiting local communities.

Through a variety of channels, including short- and medium-term training programs in China, degree education, overseas expert advisers, and youth volunteer programs, we have organized around 15,000 training programs for participants from more than 180 countries and international organizations, covering 17 sectors and over 100 professional disciplines. We have also conducted more than 500 specialized training programs on governance and public administration, training over 500,000 professionals in total and effectively enhancing development capacity in relevant sectors across participating countries.

A trainee from Rwanda applied the Juncao technology that he learned in China to establish a Juncao production company after returning home, helping lift more than 50,000 local farmers out of poverty. An Iraqi trainee introduced China's straw checkerboard sand control model to Iraq and achieved positive results in combating desertification. A trainee from Togo applied China's poverty reduction policies and practical experience to help villages and residents increase their incomes, contributing to local poverty reduction and development capacity. An Afghan trainee used the emergency command, deployment and risk avoidance skills acquired in China to successfully prevent a secondary accident following an explosion in Kabul, saving more lives. A Nigerian trainee, after returning home, played an active role in promoting the formulation of guidelines for artisanal mining in Nigeria, contributing to the sustainable development of the mining sector. Many more such stories could be told.

In recent years, we have explored new approaches and models by strengthening solidarity and cooperation with development agencies and international organizations. We have actively pursued trilateral training programs with developed countries such as Germany and Singapore, as well as with international organizations including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, pooling strengths and resources to jointly enhance the development capacity of developing countries.

Looking ahead, China will continue to accelerate the establishment of a comprehensive international human resources development cooperation system featuring multiple fields, multiple channels and integrated approaches. We will continue to share the concepts and experience of Chinese modernization, contribute China's wisdom to global development, and inject China's strength into building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Xinhua News Agency: Since the magnitude-7.9 earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28, China has promptly provided emergency humanitarian earthquake relief assistance. Could you update us on the amount of assistance China has provided, the overall progress, and China's next steps in assisting Myanmar?

Li Ming: China and Myanmar are close neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, and the pauk-phaw (fraternal) friendship between our two peoples has been passed down from generation to generation. Immediately after the devastating earthquake on March 28, China announced 100 million yuan in emergency humanitarian earthquake relief assistance. As the disaster evolved, China announced an additional 1 billion yuan in emergency humanitarian assistance.

China was the first country to announce assistance to Myanmar, the first to dispatch rescue teams, the first to rescue earthquake survivors, and the first to establish temporary resettlement centers in the disaster-stricken areas. China also deployed the largest number of rescue teams and personnel among all countries, making important contributions to earthquake relief, life-saving efforts, and post-disaster resettlement in Myanmar.

China has also worked with international organizations including the United Nations World Food Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees through the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund to provide food assistance, psychological rehabilitation services for affected children, and other forms of support for post-disaster recovery and reconstruction.

To date, China has successfully delivered disaster relief supplies including tents, blankets, refined oil products, prefabricated housing units, mobile operating rooms, medicines and vaccines. China has also dispatched emergency rescue teams, public health and epidemic prevention teams, as well as expert groups specializing in disaster assessment, structural safety inspection and cultural heritage preservation.

China's emergency humanitarian earthquake assistance to Myanmar fully embodies its neighborhood diplomacy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, demonstrates the profound friendship between neighboring countries standing together through difficulties, and serves as a vivid example of building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries. It has won wide acclaim from all sectors in both China and Myanmar as well as from the international community. Going forward, China stands ready to provide necessary assistance for post-disaster reconstruction and disaster prevention and preparedness in accordance with Myanmar's needs, and will continue to support the Myanmar people in rebuilding their homes.

The Paper: We have noted that CIDCA officials have recently met with senior representatives of several UN agencies and repeatedly mentioned jointly implementing projects under the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund. Could you introduce the fund? In addition, how many international organizations has China cooperated with in carrying out fund-supported projects, and how many projects have been implemented?

Li Ming: In September 2015, at the United Nations Summit for the Adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda marking the UN's 70th anniversary, President Xi Jinping announced the establishment of the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, with an initial contribution of $2 billion. In May 2017, at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, President Xi announced an additional $1 billion contribution to the fund. In June 2022, at the High-level Dialogue on Global Development, President Xi announced that the fund would be upgraded into the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, with an additional $1 billion, bringing its total funding to $4 billion.

The fund prioritizes "small yet smart, people-centered and quick-impact" projects, with a focus on poverty reduction, food and energy security, public health, the digital economy, digital connectivity, climate change and green development, and human resources development cooperation, helping developing countries implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Under the fund, China has worked with more than 20 international organizations, including the UNDP, the United Nations World Food Programme, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization, to implement more than 170 projects in over 60 countries, benefiting more than 30 million people. These projects have tangibly improved local livelihoods, enhanced the development capacity of recipient countries, and injected strong momentum into the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the announcement of the fund. Taking this milestone as a new starting point, China welcomes international organizations to submit more high-quality project proposals and work together to write a new chapter of shared development.

Global Times: Since taking office, the Trump administration has closed the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), suspended funding for and withdrawn from UN agencies such as the World Health Organization. Some believe this presents China with an opportunity to fill the vacuum left by the United States and expand its influence in the field of foreign assistance. What is your response?

Li Ming: We have taken note of the adjustments to the foreign assistance policies of the country concerned. We believe that major countries should shoulder their international obligations and fulfill their responsibilities as major countries, so as to avoid policy adjustments creating difficulties or disruptions for the international community, especially developing countries, in achieving the goals outlined at the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Foreign assistance should not become an arena for competition among major countries, but rather a broad stage for international cooperation. We should uphold an international development cooperation framework with North-South cooperation as the main channel and South-South cooperation as a useful complement. Developed and developing countries should fulfill their common but differentiated responsibilities, leverage their respective strengths, expand trilateral and multilateral cooperation, and promote the building of a new type of North-South relationship. Some developed countries have ignored global development challenges, failed to fulfill their development assistance obligations, failed to honor international consensus on development cooperation, and attempted to shift responsibility onto others. Such actions run counter to the trend of history and are destined to fail.

China's foreign assistance adheres to the principles of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, attaching no political conditions, doing what is possible while making every effort, and conducting equal consultation and mutually beneficial cooperation with development partners. China does not seek selfish gains, nor does it intend to fill any so-called vacuum. Regardless of changes in the international landscape, China, as a responsible major country, will continue to increase resource input into global development cooperation, maintain the continuity and stability of its development assistance policy, remain committed to narrowing the North-South gap, honor its commitments with concrete actions, firmly stand with developing countries, and steadfastly support developing countries in accelerating their development.

Associated Press of Pakistan: As China deepens mutually beneficial cooperation with Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states, what important role has its practical cooperation, including infrastructure assistance, technical and human resources training, and livelihood projects, played in promoting regional connectivity and common development?

Li Ming: China attaches great importance to actively carrying out bilateral and multilateral development assistance cooperation with relevant Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states. We have continuously enhanced the quality and effectiveness of such cooperation to better benefit the people of all participating countries and promote common development.

In recent years, China has made full use of bilateral assistance, the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, the Global Development Initiative Special Fund, and other resources to coordinate the implementation of both flagship projects and "small yet smart" livelihood projects.

To date, China has completed nearly 430 assistance projects in relevant SCO member states, is implementing more than 40 projects, and is actively advancing around 40 additional projects proposed by partner countries. These projects cover key areas such as poverty reduction, infrastructure development, scientific and technological innovation, information and communications, agriculture, health, and education, effectively promoting socioeconomic development and improving people's well-being in recipient countries.

Under China's human resources development cooperation programs, more than 30,000 professionals from relevant SCO member states have received training, providing strong support for their economic and social development.