The drive to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by
the scheduled deadline of the end of 2015 has now entered its
countdown phase. Many of the goals set out 15 years ago, which have
served to gauge development levels and develop a global partnership
for development, have already been transformed from mere
aspirations into tangible realities. China has made tremendous
contributions toward realizing the aforementioned goals.
China's single most significant contribution thus far is that it
has enabled its 1.3 billion people to obtain an improved standard
of living.
The issue of sustainability in feeding China's population was
one that preoccupied many more than a decade ago. Today, securing
subsistence, especially in terms of food and clothing, is no longer
a problem for China because the country has achieved the goal of
halving its poor population in 1990 well ahead of schedule. What
the international community now marvels at is how China has been
able to lift its people out of poverty within such a short span of
time. In alleviating poverty, the developing world may well draw
inspiration from China's experiences in the years to come.
The Chinese Government has incorporated the MDGs into its
national development plan. It has taken great strides in attempting
to maintain stable and rapid economic growth, adjusting its
industrial structure, strengthening the construction of much-needed
infrastructure, promoting urbanization, increasing employment,
developing education and improving its social security system.
China has realized such goals as achieving universal primary
education, eliminating gender discrimination in access to primary
and secondary school education, reducing the mortality rate of
children below 5 years old, preventing and controlling tuberculosis
and malaria and providing safe drinking water and basic hygiene
equipment. The country has also made progress in promoting
universal employment and in the prevention and treatment of
HIV/AIDS.
Aside from addressing its own MDGs, China has supported other
developing countries' efforts to realize their goals. For example,
it has helped African countries enhance their food producing
capacities. In addition, the country has participated in the
international partnership for development by helping other
fledgling economies build infrastructure such as roads, bridges,
hospitals, schools and agricultural irrigation systems and by
alleviating or in some cases outright exempting the debt shouldered
by poorer countries.
At a UN summit in September, world leaders are slated to create
a development agenda beyond 2015. The Chinese Government has
clarified its stance in a position paper published in 2013. Going
forward, China hopes to formulate a new set of reasonable and
sustainable goals and continue to work toward their
realization.
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