Xinhua News Agency, United Nations, September 23 (Reporters Xia Lin, Sun Yi) At local time on September 23, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council attended and delivered a speech at the High-level Meeting on the Global Development Initiative hosted by China at the UN Headquarters in New York. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, Angolan President João Lourenço, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine, as well as ministerial-level officials from over 30 countries and heads of international organizations attended the meeting.
Li Qiang stated that President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Development Initiative at the UN General Assembly in 2021, focusing on the broadest interests of human society and calling on all parties to achieve the “Six Persistences,” which has played an important leading role in advancing common development. The implementation mechanism of this important initiative has seen participation from over 130 countries and international organizations, becoming a widely welcomed international public good.
Li Qiang pointed out that currently, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, international development cooperation is severely impacted, and the momentum for world economic growth is weakening. To solve the many current contradictions and problems, we should continue to focus on development, make every effort to promote development, and work together to make the pie of development bigger. China is willing to work with all parties to further implement the Global Development Initiative, accelerate the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and revitalize the global development cause. First, create a stable and open international development environment, jointly uphold the UN-centered international system, adhere to multilateralism and free trade, and strive to build an open world economy. Second, build balanced and inclusive development partnerships, pay more attention to the needs of developing countries, and actively address the problems of unbalanced and inadequate development. Third, cultivate innovation-driven development momentum for the future, strengthen international sci-tech innovation cooperation, oppose “erecting fences and barriers,” and ensure that innovation-driven development truly benefits the whole world. Fourth, promote more sustainable green and low-carbon development, strengthen global cooperation in industries like new energy, and work together to achieve more sustainable development where humans and nature coexist in harmony.
Li Qiang emphasized that China will always be a supporter and promoter of common development, and will more actively carry out actions and demonstrate due responsibility. China will continue to increase its investment in global development, strengthen sci-tech cooperation to empower global development, and actively promote the green transformation of global development. As a responsible major developing country, China will not seek new special and differential treatment in the current and future negotiations of the World Trade Organization. The Chinese government has proposed the “AI+” International Cooperation Initiative and welcomes active participation from all parties. China is willing to work with all countries, relying on the Global Development Initiative, to deepen global development cooperation and jointly create a more prosperous and better tomorrow for the world.
The participating parties supported the Four Global Initiatives and the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, highly praised the fruitful results achieved in Global Development Initiative cooperation, sincerely appreciated the exemplary and leading role played by China in the WTO reform process, and welcomed the new measures for AI international cooperation proposed by China. The parties stated that China’s concepts and practices are highly aligned with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and that we should jointly practice multilateralism, reform and improve global governance, promote open and inclusive development, and safeguard the common interests of the international community, especially the Global South.
The meeting issued a statement, in which the parties reaffirmed their commitment to focusing on development, deepening Global Development Initiative cooperation, and working together to implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
