Chinese Premier Li Qiang has reiterated Beijing’s commitment to collaborate with all parties in implementing the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and accelerating progress on the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, affirming that China will continue to promote common prosperity.
Speaking at a high-level GDI meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, Li noted that the initiative, first proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2021, has already garnered participation from over 130 countries and international organizations, establishing it as “a widely popular international public good.”
“At present, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, international development cooperation has been severely impacted, and the momentum of world economic growth has weakened,” Li stated.
“China will always be a supporter and promoter of common development, and will take more active actions and demonstrate its due responsibility,” he added.
He outlined four key priorities: building a stable and open international development environment, strengthening inclusive partnerships, promoting innovation and technology cooperation, and advancing sustainable, green, and low-carbon development.
“China is willing to deepen global development cooperation with all countries based on the GDI, and jointly create a more prosperous and beautiful future for the world,” he stated.
Regarding trade, Li Qiang announced that China, while remaining the world’s largest developing country, “will not seek new special and differential treatment in current and future WTO negotiations.”
The commitment drew praise from World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who described it as “a culmination of many years of hard work” and commended China’s leadership.
Expanding on this announcement at a Ministry of Commerce press briefing, Vice Commerce Minister and China’s international trade representative Li Chenggang stated that the move is “an important policy declaration by China made with both domestic and international considerations in mind.”
He stressed that China’s position “reflects our firm commitment to safeguarding the multilateral trading system, advancing the implementation of the GDI, and actively participating in global governance.”
Li Chenggang noted that China has benefited from differential treatment since joining the WTO in 2001 but has managed such arrangements “in a pragmatic and voluntary manner,” contributing to numerous trade agreements.
“In this context, China’s announcement further demonstrates its firm commitment to supporting the multilateral trading system through concrete actions and its sense of responsibility as a major country,” he said.
He stressed that while China’s status as a developing country remains unchanged, it is prepared to allocate more resources to nations in greater need.
“China remains the world’s largest developing country and will always stand together with other developing countries,” Li stated.
This coming as Beijing pledged to expand high-level opening-up, promote trade and investment liberalization, and advocate for WTO reforms that prioritize development.
