As the world's largest developing country, China always considers its growth in the context of the common development of all humanity. The country has provided development assistance to over 160 countries.

BEIJING, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Three years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Development Initiative (GDI) at the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, calling for building a consensus on pursuing development, promoting shared growth and helping accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The initiative has since been continuously substantialized, its implementation mechanisms increasingly refined, and practical cooperation under its framework has gradually taken shape, thereby offering China's solution to bridging the development gap in Global South countries as well as building a better world together.

DEVELOPMENT AS PRIORITY

"The international community must pursue the larger interests of all countries, respond to people's concerns, and restore development to the center of the international agenda," said Xi at the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August 2023, once again urging countries to seek development together.

The GDI lists "prioritizing development" at the top of its six core concepts and principles, which aligns with the needs of the times and has received widespread recognition and active support from the international community.

More than 100 countries and many international organizations including the UN have supported and participated in the GDI. Additionally, more than 80 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI.

As the world's largest developing country, China always considers its growth in the context of the common development of all humanity. The country has provided development assistance to over 160 countries.

At the opening ceremony of the second High-Level Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development held in July in Beijing, Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai hailed his country's joining the Group of Friends of the GDI in early this year as another milestone in China-Vanuatu relations, referring to Vanuatu as a beneficiary of this initiative.

A demonstration center for the China-Africa (Ethiopia)-United Nations (UNIDO) Cooperation was established during this conference. UNIDO Director-General Gerd Muller said that the demonstration center, which focuses on industrialization, agricultural modernization and talent development, plays a significant role in sharing China's development experience, promoting advanced Chinese technologies and attracting investment.

Abu Bakr al-Deeb, an advisor to the Cairo-based Arab Center for Research and Studies, said the GDI "seeks to enhance world partnerships to be more just and balanced" and protects more people from the impacts of hunger, poverty, and conflict, which is particularly important when the world is facing many challenges and tensions.