Work Together to Open Up New Prospects for International Development Cooperation

– Remarks by H.E. Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China, at the Second Voluntary National Review on Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

14 July 2021

Colleagues,

On behalf of the Chinese government, I hereby present China's review on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and explore with you ways to advance international development cooperation and promote global sustainable development.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. Under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping, we have adhered to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, completed the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects on a land of 9.6 million square kilometers, and are now marching toward the second centenary goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects.

The 2030 Agenda is a grand blueprint for national development and for international development cooperation. China follows a new development philosophy featuring innovative, coordinated, green, and open development for all. It is highly consistent with the 2030 Agenda's five critical dimensions of people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership. It is an effort to contribute China's wisdom and Chinese solution to the cause of global development. Our main development efforts and achievements are as follows:

First, we always take development as our first priority. Development is the golden key to the door toward prosperity. China always focuses on seeking development. It has become the only country that has moved from the low human development category to the high human development category. Its economic output has exceeded 100 trillion yuan. China now ranks 14th in the Global Innovation Index, with scientific and technological advances contributing to over 60 percent of its economic growth. China is the only major economy registering positive growth during the pandemic, making significant contribution to global economic recovery.

Second, we adopt a people-centered philosophy. People's aspiration for a better life is the goal of all our efforts. For the first time in history, we eliminated absolute poverty in China, accounting for over 70 percent of global poverty reduction. And not a single person of the 98.99 million impoverished population was left behind. We have launched an effective response to COVID-19. And not a single patient, from a new-born baby just 30 hours after birth to a 108-year-old senior citizen, was left untreated. We have put in place the world's largest social security network and compulsory education system. The average life expectancy in China has reached 77.4 years. In the past five years, an additional 60 million people have found new jobs in urban areas. Hundreds of millions of people are joining the middle-income group. People's sense of happiness, fulfillment and security keeps increasing.

Third, we always put into practice our belief in the harmony between man and Nature. A sound eco-environment benefits all. Green and low-carbon development is the most sustainable growth driver. China is committed to fostering a community of life for man and Nature, and always puts its words into actions. We have coordinated the management of mountains, rivers, forests as well as farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts, and contributed to one-fourth of the increase in global afforestation and one-fifth of the net restored land. Giant pandas, China's national treasure, are no longer in an "endangered" status, and its wild population has grown to over 1,800. China has actively implemented the Paris Agreement, improved its industrial structure and energy mix, and embarked on a path of green, low-carbon and circular development. In 2020, China's carbon intensity dropped by 48.4 percent over the 2005 level. Clean energy takes up 24.3 percent of China's energy consumption. China accounts for more than 30 percent of the world's total installed capacity of wind and photovoltaic power, and 55 percent of global new energy vehicle sales.

Fourth, we embrace the trend of openness and win-win cooperation of our times. Ocean is vast because it refuses no river. Riding the tide in the ocean of world economy, China has made the biggest contribution to global growth for 15 consecutive years. In 2020, China's total import and export of goods exceeded 32 trillion yuan, and its outward investment surpassed 130 billion US dollars, sending a beam of light through the clouds of the world economy. China and its 140-plus partner countries under the Belt and Road cooperation have grown their trade to over 9.2 trillion US dollars, and established the largest cooperation platform in the world. Despite the pandemic, the China-Europe Railway Express is still in active service. The development of green Silk Road and digital Silk Road is gaining momentum, and injecting fresh and powerful impetus for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Fifth, we pursue common development with all countries. Our belief in "strengthening ourselves so as to help other people and the world" is deeply rooted in the DNA of the Chinese nation. On the path toward sustainable development, China has always forged ahead with other developing countries in the spirit of solidarity. China is committed to deepening South-South cooperation, and has provided development aid to over 160 developing countries. In the face of COVID-19, we have carried out the largest global humanitarian operation since the founding of New China, providing over 290 billion masks, 3.5 billion protective suits and 4.5 billion testing kits to the world. Honoring our pledge to make Chinese vaccines a global public good, we have provided over 500 million doses of vaccines to more than 100 countries and international organizations and made an important contribution to global vaccination.