China Daily Global Edition (USA)
What they say
Everything is better with growth and you [China] have been leading the charge in terms of growth. Over the last 10 years, you have doubled your GDP, and you have also doubled the per capita income of the Chinese people. In addition to that, in the next five years, you will be bringing 56 million out of the rural areas in what was poverty and will now be better income.
“It’s not just your words, but it’s also action. You’ve put the SDGs (sustainable development goals) clearly into your 13th Five-Year Plan and you’ve determined to actually put those into an annual action plan, which will drive your actions. This is for China, but you are also doing things for other countries. The academy’s South-South, which will focus on development for others, is something that was generated out of the G20 and will help other countries on the road of cooperation and development — the Road and Belt Initiative and the support you’re giving the International Monetary Fund to support other countries.”
The Chinese presidency of the G20 supported expanding investments in infrastructure to spur growth and create jobs, as well as increase mobilization of private resources. China’s ability to influence global development comes from a variety of factors. The country’s economic growth affects the growth rate of many countries around the world. Its ambitious policies in cutting back harmful emissions will also play a major role in whether the world will keep global warming under 2 degrees Celsius. “The World Bank Group’s engagement with China on some of its most fundamental development issues has also shown another side of China as a development innovator of the world. As you know, Premier Li, every few years, you give us a new assignment for work we’re supposed to do with you, and so in the past few years we’ve co-produced reports on the development vision for 2030, on urbanization, on healthcare, and the most recent assignment you’ve given us is looking for new drivers of economic growth for China and the world.”
We are one year into the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Our aim as an international community is to hit the ground running. The recent meeting of a high-level political forum on sustainable development shed light on implementation efforts around the world. Representatives from governments, civil society, the private sector, the UN system and other stakeholders presented their initiatives. Twenty-two countries presented voluntary national reviews, including China. “Of the 11 G20 summit meetings, this was the first time that the development agenda was taken as an action agenda. I appreciate Chinese leadership and vision. Within the UN system we too are taking all necessary measures to align our work to the 2030 agenda. I’m encouraged by the initial progress, but the ambition of the 2030 agenda leaves no room for complacency and the challenges are immense.”