New York (People’s Daily) - China has always followed four principles in foreign aid, even as the world economy faces significant downside risks, Liu Hua, Special Representative for Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, said at the Third Committee of the 74th UN General Assembly during an interactive dialogue with the independent expert on foreign debt and human rights on Monday.
File photo: VCG
Liu said trade frictions have a serious impact on the world economy and will drag the world economy down by 0.8 percent by 2020, according to an IMF statement. Ten percent of the world's population still live in extreme poverty, 820 million people suffer from hunger, 840 million are deprived of stable electricity, 2.2 billion are in short supply of safe drinking water, and 4.2 billion lack standard sanitation. The global development remains unbalanced, uncoordinated, and unsustainable. Developing countries still face enormous challenges. The international community should prioritize development issues in the framework of a global macro policy, he said.
Liu said China has always followed four principles in foreign aid: First, equality. China's assistance fully respects the wishes of recipient governments and their people, never interferes in other countries' internal affairs nor attaches political conditions; second, mutual benefit. China's aid always promotes mutually beneficial cooperation, and all projects undergo feasibility and scientific studies, taking the sustainability of recipient countries’ finances into serious consideration; third, openness. China's assistance never targets any third party, but aims at making the cake of cooperation bigger; and fourth, sustainability. China's assistance adheres to “teach a man to fish”, helping recipient countries overcome development bottlenecks, enhancing hematopoietic function, and promoting independent and sustainable development.
As the world's largest developing country, China has provided nearly 400 billion yuan in development assistance to more than 160 countries and international organizations, and dispatched more than 600,000 aid workers. China has also provided strong support to other developing countries in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through the establishment of the China-United Nations Peace and Development Fund and the United Nations Fund for South-South cooperation. China is willing to work together with all parties to promote an open, inclusive and balanced development of the world economy and achieve common prosperity, Liu said.