China's Foreign Aid: Fueling the Global Development Initiative for Worldwide Benefits

Chen Xiaodong,

Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency

I am delighted to be invited to attend the 2025 Understanding China Conference. On behalf of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, I hereby extend my warm congratulations on the successful opening of the conference.

Not long ago, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China adopted the Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Formulating the “15th Five-Year Plan” for National Economic and Social Development. This document outlines a grand blueprint for advancing Chinese modernization in a consistent manner and reaffirms the solemn commitment to “promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind”. The term “development” appears 189 times in the Recommendations, which fully demonstrates that development is not only a crucial task for Chinese modernization but also an eternal theme of human society.

Four years ago, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Development Initiative (GDI), which has refocused global attention on development issues. This initiative has showcased China’s determination and solutions to boost global development, won widespread recognition from the international community, and injected new vitality into the realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

China's foreign aid and international development cooperation take building a community with a shared future for mankind proposed by President Xi Jinping as its lofty goal, and are strategically guided by the four major global initiatives, especially the Global Development Initiative. It actively assists developing countries in achieving common development. In recent years, the China International Development Cooperation Agency, together with various stakeholders at home and abroad, has focused on addressing the key bottlenecks and pain points in global development. It has supported the collective self-strengthening of the Global South through China’s own development, provided more international public goods via development cooperation, and ensured that the fruits of development benefit people of all countries more equitably.

First, increasing resource input and building consensus on cooperation. Faced with global challenges such as the deviation of global development agenda and the widening development gap, President Xi Jinping made a solemn commitment that China is willing to increase resource input in global development cooperation, strive to narrow the North-South gap, and firmly support and assist developing countries in accelerating their development.

Within the framework of the Global Development Initiative, China has upgraded the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, increasing its capital to 4 billion US dollars. It has pioneered the establishment of a global development project pool and a fund pool, mobilized over 23 billion US dollars to support the development and revitalization of the Global South, and launched more than 1,800 cooperation projects. On the basis of expanding South-South cooperation, China has continued to urge developed countries to provide developing countries with financial, technological and capacity-building support, and earnestly fulfill their official development assistance commitments.

Second, strengthening project coordination and delivering development outcomes. Adhering to the principles of development first and action orientation, China has translated the Global Development Initiative into tangible development cooperation projects. We have promoted both major landmark projects and small yet impactful livelihood programs in a coordinated way. We not only support the construction of major landmark projects along the key corridors and junctions of the Belt and Road but also enhance people’s well-being in various countries through small, down-to-earth livelihood projects that yield quick and tangible benefits.

Landmark projects such as the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Gwadar Desalination Plant in Pakistan, and the Belarusian Agro-Industrial Complex are injecting new momentum into the local economic and social development. Small yet impactful livelihood assistance brands like China’s Juncao technology, hybrid rice, and Luban Workshops have gained widespread popularity. We are focusing on the digital economy and connectivity in the digital age, and supporting the creation of the “Digital South” brand under the Global Development Initiative.

Third, providing timely assistance and demonstrating a sense of responsibility. Helping those in need and standing in solidarity with each other is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation. China always lends a helping hand immediately when other countries are hit by humanitarian crises and other disasters. In recent years, China has provided emergency food aid to many countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America that are suffering from food crises. After the outbreak of COVID-19, we launched the largest global emergency humanitarian operation since the founding of the People's Republic of China, providing assistance to more than 160 countries and international organizations. Since the outbreak of the Israel-Palestine conflict in 2023, China has delivered multiple batches of emergency aid to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. When Myanmar was hit by a severe earthquake last March, China was among the first to announce emergency assistance, dispatch a rescue team, and send the largest number of rescuers. In October this year, after Hurricane Melissa hit the Caribbean region, China promptly provided emergency humanitarian aid to countries including Cuba and Jamaica.

Fourth, emphasizing teaching people to fish and promoting independent development. China actively shares the experience of its modernization drive and supports developing countries in exploring sustainable development paths suited to their national conditions. Under the Global Development Initiative, China promised to offer 100,000 training and seminar opportunities for personnel from developing countries, and this target has been exceeded ahead of schedule.

The Academy of South-South Cooperation and Development, established at the initiative of President Xi Jinping, has trained more than 500 masters and doctors from over 80 countries in the past 10 years. Many of them have become leaders in the construction and development of their respective countries. China has also set up the Home for Global Development Young Leaders, the Global Center for Women’s Capacity Building, and the Innovative Training Base of the Global Development Promotion Center, aiming to foster local and sustainable independent development capabilities in developing countries.

Fifth, building action platforms and expanding partnership networks. China adheres to true multilateralism and the concept that “genuine development means development for all countries”, and actively shares development opportunities with all parties. To date, more than 80 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative, and over 80 countries, regions, and international organizations have participated in the network of the Global Development Promotion Center.

China has successfully held two High-Level Forums on the Global Shared Development Action and three China-Indian Ocean Region Blue Economy Development Cooperation Forums. It has signed GDI cooperation documents with more than 80 countries and international institutions, and issued a joint statement with 53 African countries and the African Union on deepening cooperation under the GDI framework, working hand in hand with all partners to push the initiative forward with solid actions.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Currently, the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century at an accelerated pace, with the international situation fraught with uncertainties and complexities, posing severe challenges to global development endeavors. Meanwhile, the remarkable growth of China and other countries in the Global South has injected strong impetus into global development and governance. Taking the launch of the “15th Five-Year Plan” and the 5th anniversary of the Global Development Initiative next year as new opportunities, we will continue to earnestly implement the major foreign aid measures announced by President Xi Jinping, and fully advance the four major global initiatives and the high-quality development of the Belt and Road cooperation.

China is ready to innovate cooperation approaches, continuously mobilize resources from all sectors, and deepen bilateral, triangular, and multilateral cooperation. We will expand cooperation areas to promote collaboration in emerging fields such as green development, digital empowerment, and artificial intelligence. By sharing the successful experience of Chinese modernization and helping other countries enhance their independent development capabilities, we will make new and greater contributions to fostering a more equitable and balanced global development partnership and building a community with a shared future for mankind.