By John Azu
China has reaffirmed its commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities as a major global power by promoting inclusive development, strengthening multilateral cooperation and supporting developing countries in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the commitment on Tuesday while addressing the High-Level Meeting on the Global Development Initiative (GDI) in Beijing.
Reflecting on the progress of the initiative, Wang said the GDI, launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping during the General Debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2021, has evolved from a Chinese proposal into a widely supported international platform for advancing global development.
According to him, the initiative has grown from “a statement of goals into concrete actions” that support the implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
He disclosed that more than 130 countries and international organisations have endorsed or participated in GDI cooperation, while nearly 100 countries and regional organisations have signed cooperation agreements with China under the initiative.
Highlighting the programme’s impact, Wang said China has mobilised more than US$23 billion through the China-UN Peace and Development Fund, the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund and other financing mechanisms.
The funds, he noted, have supported the implementation of over 1,800 community-focused development projects and provided professional training for more than 200,000 people across the world.
“Through the China-U.N. Peace and Development Fund, the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund and other funding initiatives, more than US$23 billion have been mobilized, supporting the implementation of over 1,800 ‘small and beautiful’ livelihood projects and providing training for more than 200,000 people in different professions,” Wang said.
He cited several flagship programmes, including the Juncao technology for poverty reduction, the Sustainable Development Science Satellite-1 (SDGSAT-1) for global data sharing, and the MAZU platform for weather forecasting and disaster risk reduction, saying they have delivered tangible benefits to people in more than 120 countries.
While acknowledging growing global uncertainties, widening inequalities and the persistent development gap between developed and developing nations, Wang urged the international community to place development at the centre of global cooperation.
He outlined four key priorities for advancing global development.
First, he called for stronger international solidarity to create a peaceful environment conducive to sustainable development.
“We should uphold the international system centered around the U.N. and the international order based on international law, and make every effort to foster a generally stable international environment and favorable conditions for global development cooperation,” he said.
Wang added that China would continue supporting reforms within the United Nations aimed at strengthening its development agenda and better serving the interests of developing countries.
Second, he urged countries to accelerate implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals by increasing development financing and expanding international cooperation.
Describing China as “a major and responsible developing country,” Wang pledged that Beijing would continue sharing financial resources, technology and development expertise with other developing nations through bilateral, multilateral and trilateral partnerships.
Third, he emphasised the need to bridge the widening digital and artificial intelligence divide between developed and developing countries through greater openness, innovation and knowledge sharing.
Wang revealed that China, together with 28 other countries, recently launched the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) to strengthen global AI cooperation and governance.
“China is ready to deepen collaboration on innovation with all parties to help the Global South effectively seize new opportunities and tackle new challenges,” he said.
Fourth, the Chinese foreign minister called for reforms to the global economic and financial system to make it more equitable and responsive to the needs of developing countries.
He urged developed nations to honour their development financing commitments and called for greater coordination ahead of the United Nations’ work on a post-2030 global development agenda, expected to begin in 2027.
Wang said the new framework should better reflect the priorities and aspirations of countries in the Global South.
As the Communist Party of China marks its 105th anniversary and the country begins implementing its 15th Five-Year Plan, Wang said China’s economic growth and development remain closely linked to global prosperity.
He noted that China’s economy recorded 4.7 per cent growth in 2026, adding that Beijing remains committed to expanding international cooperation and promoting shared development.
“A thriving world lifts China, and a prosperous China empowers the world,” Wang said, urging countries to work together in the spirit of a shared global community to address common development challenges.
The Global Development Initiative is one of China’s flagship international cooperation frameworks aimed at accelerating progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals through investments in infrastructure, technology, poverty reduction, education, healthcare and capacity building, particularly in developing countries. Since its launch in 2021, the initiative has become a central pillar of China’s engagement with the Global South.