Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly via video, in Beijing, capital of China, September 21,2021 (XINHUA)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 21, 2021 proposed a Global Development Initiative in steering global development toward a new stage of balanced, coordinated and inclusive growth in face of the severe shocks of COVID-19.

"We must revitalize the economy and pursue more robust, greener and more balanced global development," Xi said in his statement delivered via video at the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

To promote global development, Xi called for staying committed to development as a priority.

He proposed that the world should put development high on the global macro policy agenda, strengthen policy coordination among major economies, and ensure policy continuity, consistency and sustainability.

"We need to foster global development partnerships that are more equal and balanced, forge greater synergy among multilateral development cooperation processes, and speed up the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Xi said.

Xi stressed staying committed to a people-centered approach. "We should safeguard and improve people's livelihoods, and protect and promote human rights through development," he said.

Xi called for staying committed to benefits for all, and caring about the special needs of developing countries.

He also highlighted the importance of innovation-driven development and harmony between man and nature.

China will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, Xi said, adding that this requires tremendous hard work, and "we will make every effort to meet these goals."

He also said China will step up support for other developing countries in developing green and low-carbon energy, and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad.

Xi called for staying committed to results-oriented actions and building a global community of development with a shared future.

The world needs to increase input in development, advance on a priority basis cooperation on poverty alleviation, food security, COVID-19 response and vaccines, development financing, climate change and green development, industrialization, digital economy and connectivity, among other areas, and accelerate implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he said.

(Source: Xinhua News Agency)

Xi's Remarks on Global Development Initiative

First, we need to jointly build international consensus on promoting development. Only when people all over the world live better lives can prosperity be sustained, security safeguarded and human rights solidly grounded. It is important that we put development front and center on the international agenda, deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and build political consensus to ensure everyone values development and all countries pursue cooperation together.

Second, we need to jointly create an enabling international environment for development.Protectionist moves will boomerang; anyone attempting to form exclusive blocs will end up isolating himself; maximum sanctions serve nobody’s interest, and practices of decoupling and supply disruption are neither feasible nor sustainable. It is important that we pursue development in real earnest and promote development in concert, build an open world economy, and shape a global governance system and institutional environment that are more just and equitable.

Third, we need to jointly foster new drivers for global development. It is important that we promote scientific, technological and institutional innovation, speed up technology transfer and knowledge sharing, boost the development of modern industries,

close the digital divide and accelerate low-carbon transition, with a view to achieving stronger, greener and healthier global development.

Fourth, we need to jointly forge a global development partnership. Only by working together can we accomplish big and great things with a far-reaching impact. Developed countries need to fulfill obligations, developing countries need to deepen cooperation, and the North and the South need to work in the same direction to forge a united, equal, balanced and inclusive global development partnership.In this process, no country or individual should be left behind. It is important that we support the UN in steering and coordinating global development cooperation, and encourage business communities, social groups, the media and think tanks to take part in such cooperation.

President Xi stressed that China has always been a member of the big family of developing countries. China will take pragmatic steps to give continued support to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

— China will allocate more resources for global development cooperation. We will upgrade the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund to a Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund. We will also increase input to the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund. Such efforts will further support cooperation under the Global Development Initiative (GDI).

— China will work with all sides to advance cooperation in priority areas and mobilize resources for development to deepen global cooperation on poverty reduction and eradication, build capacity for food production and supply, and promote clean energy partnerships; step up innovation, research and development and joint production of vaccines; work on the conservation and sustainable use of land and marine ecology; and raise digital literacy and skills of the public, transform and upgrade the path to industrialization at a faster pace, and enhance connectivity in the digital era to inject new impetus into the development of all countries.

— China will set up a platform for experience and knowledge sharing on international development, a global development promotion center and a global knowledge network for development, for the purpose of exchanging governance experience. We will host a global forum on youth development and take part in the launch of a global action plan on youth development, in a bid to pool as much strength as possible for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.