Xi says no country should be left behind in global modernization

JOHANNESBURG - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called for joint efforts in building a community of shared development, and making sure that no country is left behind in the process of global modernization.

Xi made the remarks at the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue held here on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit.

The delivery of most United Nations Sustainable Development Goals remains slow, Xi noted, saying that this is a cause for concern, and the global development endeavor faces formidable challenges.

He called on the global community to pursue the larger interests of all countries, respond to people's concerns, restore development to the center of the international agenda, and make efforts to increase the representation and voice of developing countries in global governance and support developing countries in realizing better development.

"It is also important to uphold true multilateralism, forge a global development partnership, and create a secure and stable international environment for shared development," Xi added.

He stressed that China has invariably stood in solidarity with fellow developing countries through thick and thin, and has been and will always remain a member of developing countries.

"I proposed the Global Development Initiative (GDI), precisely for the purpose of calling on the world to stay focused on development and lending impetus to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda," Xi noted, adding that China last year held the first High-Level Dialogue on Global Development where a host of measures for development cooperation were unveiled, and encouraging progress has been made since then.

Noting that China has put development first and allocated more resources, Xi said the country has set up a Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund with a total funding of 4 billion U.S. dollars.

"China is a friend that Africa can count on," Xi said, noting that over the past decade, China has provided a large amount of development assistance to Africa and helped build more than 6,000 km of railway, over 6,000 km of highway, and 80-plus large power facilities on the continent.

Going forward, China will carry out more cooperation with African countries to support Africa in enhancing its own capacity for development, Xi said, adding that Chinese financial institutions will soon set up a special fund of 10 billion dollars dedicated to the implementation of the GDI.

What's more, China will provide satellite mapping data products, implement a Smart Customs cooperation partnership, and launch with UNESCO a "GDI for Africa's Future" action plan, to support sustainable development in Africa, Xi added.

The event was hosted by Ramaphosa, and also attended by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Russian President Vladimir Putin participated online.

More than 60 leaders and representatives of African countries and other emerging markets and developing countries, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President of the New Development Bank Dilma Rousseff, and leaders of other international and regional organizations, also attended the event.