Global Development Initiative Reflects Global Consensus and Promotes Global Development

At present, the world economy is recovering slowly, the development gap between the North and the South is widening, international development cooperation lacks momentum, and the world is facing a serious "development deficit". In September 2020, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Development Initiative at the Seventy-Sixth Session of the United Nations General Assembly, calling on the international community to give development a prominent position in the global macro policy framework, accelerate the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and jointly push global development into a new stage of balance, coordination and inclusiveness, which has drawn a blueprint for international development cooperation and charted the course for advancing global development. As a responsible major country, China, by sharing its wisdom and experience with the world, contributing public goods to international development cooperation, actively promoting common development with its own concrete actions, has played an increasingly key role in international development cooperation, and become an important leader in global development.

I. Introduction of the Global Development Initiative

China has always paid close attention to the problems and challenges facing global development. Early on, President Xi Jinping had keenly noted the "development deficit", unbalanced global development and lack of driving force in the world. At the opening ceremony of the Annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in January 2017, President Xi Jinping pointed out that the lack of driving force for global growth, lagging global economic governance and imbalances in global development are the three major problems in the world economy and the root cause for the world economic predicament. In May 2017, at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, Xi Jinping pointed out that the peace, development and governance deficits are serious challenges facing all mankind. In March 2019, at the closing ceremony of the China-France Global Governance Forum, he pointed out that, the international community is facing four challenges: governance deficit, trust deficit, peace deficit and development deficit, and put forward that to solve these "four deficits", we need to uphold the four principles of fairness and rationality, mutual consultation and mutual understanding, working together in the same boat, and win-win operation. To address the "development deficit", we need to be innovation-driven, interconnected, fair and inclusive, and on this basis, to build a dynamic growth model, an open and win-win cooperation pattern, and a balanced development model that benefits all, so that people of all countries will share the fruits of economic globalization.

On the basis of accurately grasping the realistic problems and challenges faced by global development, President Xi Jinping clearly put forward China's global development initiatives and propositions. In September 2021, President Xi Jinping attended the General debate of the seventy-sixth session of the UN General Assembly and delivered an important speech, in which he put forward a global development initiative, calling for development first, people-centered, inclusive, innovation-driven, harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and action oriented. We call on the international community to strengthen cooperation in such areas as poverty reduction, food security, anti-epidemic and vaccines, financing for development, climate change and green development, industrialization, digital economy and connectivity to jointly promote global development. In November 2021, at the APEC CEO Summit, he further enriched the global development initiative, pointing out that, China is willing to continue to play its role as a responsible major country, promote enhanced cooperation in global poverty reduction, food security, financing for development and other fields, implement the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and build a global community with a shared future for development. At the World Economic Forum video conference in January 2022, he once again stressed that the global development Initiative is a public good open to the world, aiming to align with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development and promote common global development. China is ready to work with all parties to implement the initiative, and try to leave no country behind. In June 2022, President Xi Jinping chaired the High-level Dialogue on Global Development and delivered an important speech, in which he put forward a four-point proposal to create a development pattern that is balanced, coordinated and inclusive, win-win cooperation and common prosperity for all, injecting confidence and strength into bridging the development gap and revitalizing the cause of global development. The contents of the global development Initiative, since put forward by President Xi Jinping, have been continuously enriched and expanded. As a number of practical measures are being implemented, the global development initiative is being put into practice.

II. Global Development Initiatives Derived from China's Development Experience and Wisdom

Development is the eternal theme of human society and the key to solving all problems. As the world's largest developing country and the largest emerging economy, China has rich development practices and experience. The Communist Party of China (CPC) has united the Chinese people and led them through long and arduous struggle, successfully opened a Chinese[1]style path of modernization, and made remarkable achievements in development. China has created a miracle of long-term rapid economic growth and developed into the world's second largest economy. By focusing on inclusive development, China has won the battle against poverty, built a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and eliminated absolute poverty. China has also actively and properly dealt with various problems in the process of development, and constantly explored and innovated development patterns and paths. In the face of ecological and environmental challenges emerging in development, China has achieved harmonious development between human and nature by construction of ecological civilization. Faced with the problem of insufficient driving force for transmission development, China has seized the opportunity of a new round of scientific and technological and industrial revolution by leapfrog development driven by the creation of regions, and realized the transformation from an old to a new driving forces for development. China's successful development practice has proved that development is the key to solving all problems. Only continuous development to solve the problems occurring in the development, and continuous innovations achieved to the development model can realize the prosperity of the country and the happiness of the people.

"Development is the top priority, which applies to all countries," Xi Jinping said. China's development experience is not only applicable to China, but also worthy of being learned from by other countries, especially the developing countries. China's global development initiative, based on China's development practice, is China's wisdom and China's plan for contributing to global development. The global development initiative puts priority on development, focuses on the people, upholds inclusive and innovation-driven concepts, and harmonious coexistence between human and nature, and action-orientation, which have been fully tested in practice in China and achieved good results, and are a reflection of China's development experience at different stages. Promoting its own proven development experience as a global development initiative is a special public good that China contributes to the global development. Contributing China's development practice to the implementation of global development highlights the feasibility and effectiveness. The global development initiative is a practical action plan that can help other countries boost development momentum, solve various problems in development, avoid detours, and truly benefit the people of all countries.

III. Global Development Initiatives Highlight Action Orientation

The problems of development can only be solved by development and in the course of development. To achieve global development, the international community has to take concrete actions and effective measures to address the "development deficit" and properly address the problems of insufficient growth drivers and unbalanced development. The Global Development Initiative is action-oriented, emphasizing greater input in development resources, focusing on cooperation in poverty reduction, food security, epidemic prevention and vaccines, financing for development, climate change and green development, industrialization, digital economy and connectivity, accelerating the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and building a global community with a shared future for development. The global development Initiative is not a "castle in the air", but an all-around practical measure. It has put forward a number of concrete "effective means" to promote global development, and will help countries take actions on development issues and achieve actual development results.

A major country should act as it is supposed to, and assume more responsibilities. To promote the implementation of the global development initiative, China has not only put forward proposals, but also taken practical actions. China has launched the Belt and Road Initiative to promote connectivity among countries along the routes, promote broader, higher and deeper regional economic and social development cooperation, and create more development opportunities for all countries. China has promoted the establishment of international development mechanisms such as the AIIB, the BRICS New Open Bank, and the Silk Road Fund to align with the actual needs of developing countries, make up for the shortcomings of existing international development institutions, and provide more targeted development financing to developing countries. China has continuously increased the foreign assistance level and is committed to promoting South-South cooperation. The Assistance Fund for South-South Cooperation established by China has now been upgraded to the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund to support developing countries in implementing the Global Development Initiative and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. China has also taken the initiative to adjust its domestic institutions to more effectively facilitate its participation in and promotion of global development. China has set up the China International Development Cooperation Agency to coordinate national foreign aid and international development cooperation, and set up the Global Development Promotion Center to promote practical cooperation in key areas of the global development initiative. On the issue of global development, China has always been an "activist", and is promoting global common development with its own concrete actions. China has taken concrete actions in many aspects, provided various types of international public goods, and actively shared development opportunities and achievements with other countries.

IV. Global Development Initiatives Have Received Worldwide Response

Development is the common cause of all mankind, and the global development initiative has received extensive response from the international community. In less than a year, more than 100 countries and many international organizations, including the United Nations, have expressed their active support for the initiative. UN Secretary-General Guterres believes that the global development initiative is proposed at the right time, and the UN supports it unequivocally and is willing to cooperate with China in this regard and work with other countries to promote the implementation of it. In January 2022, the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative was formally established at United Nations Headquarters in New York, and joined by more than 50 countries. The global development Initiative has been incorporated into the relevant outcome documents of the China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the Commemorative Summit of the 30th Anniversary of China[1]ASEAN Dialogue Relations, the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Third Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China and CELAC. By proposing and promoting the implementation of global development initiatives, China has become an important contributor and leader in the field of global development.

The global development initiative is not an empty talk or a slogan, but a practical action plan provided by China for international community.

The global development Initiative has fully absorbed China's practical experience in development, and China is actively promoting and leading global development with its own development practice. China has not only drafted out a "road map" for global development, but is also advancing on the road of development, and a leader in promoting and guiding the common development of all countries. Global development requires concrete actions. By sharing practical experience and contributing public goods, China has become an important leader in the field of global development. The global development initiative fully embodies China's practice-based leadership. Based on its own development practice and experience, China will take active actions to create more opportunities and provide greater impetus for global development in the post-COVID-19 era, push global development to a new stage, benefit the people of all countries, and demonstrate its responsibility as a major country.

(The author Wang Bo is Dean and Professor of School of National Development Cooperation, University of International Business and Economics; Zhai Dayu is lecturer of School of International Development Cooperation, University of International Business and Economics.)