International

Envoy says Beijing will continue its role as an engine in global economy

The success of the Global Development Initiative, or GDI, proposed by China for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, drew praise from the United Nations.

The GDI is a global public good provided by China, said Zhang Jun, China’s permanent representative to the UN, on Wednesday. Based on China’s own development experience, the initiative is aimed at promoting common development and building a shared future.

“I hope more like-minded friends and partners will join the Group of Friends of the GDI and participate in the policy exchanges and practical cooperation under the GDI framework. Let’s work together to turn the vision of the 2030 Agenda into reality,” Zhang said in his opening remarks at a briefing of the Group of Friends of the GDI.

The briefing was held at the UN’s headquarters in New York, and it was co-hosted by the Permanent Mission of China to the UN and the UN in China.

“China will continue to play its role as an engine of the world economy. China will continue to share its development experience with other countries. China will continue to provide more public goods to the international community,” Zhang said.

“We believe China’s new progress in its modernization will provide new development opportunities for other countries and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humankind.”

During the keynote speech, Luo Zhaohui, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, said China is promoting a Chinese path to modernization and is committed to high-quality development and high-level opening-up. It is accumulating valuable experience for the realization of SDGs, and providing feasible and replicable action plans.

He said China will continue to practice the concept of a community with a shared future for humankind, build a global development partnership, and promote common development.

All parties present at the briefing agreed that global economic recovery is sluggish, and multiple crises have been intertwined. Thus, the practical significance and long-term impact of the GDI have become increasingly prominent.

Timely proposal

Chimed Khurelbaatar, Mongolia’s deputy prime minister and minister of economy and development, said the GDI is a “timely, pragmatic and efficient initiative that will play an important role in accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for all countries”.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said that with regard to current global geopolitical tensions and the weakening role of the UN, the GDI emphasizes being people-centered and focuses on key areas such as poverty reduction, food security and technological innovation, which is “very significant”.

The UN’s permanent representatives from Singapore, Cuba, Zimbabwe and other countries said with the initiative putting development issues at the top of the UN agenda, it will become an “accelerator” for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and a “catalyst” for multilateralism.

Other permanent representatives of Pakistan, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and other countries to the UN said that in less than two years after the GDI was proposed, the 32 implementation measures announced by China have already been steadily advancing and have achieved positive results.

The Group of Friends of the GDI should work together to create more cooperation results, they said.

Ministerial officials from Guinea, Cuba, Tajikistan, Honduras, Dominica, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and other countries, and permanent representatives or deputy permanent representatives of more than 80 members of the Group of the Friends of the GDI also joined the meeting.

Representatives from nearly 20 UN agencies, including the UN Development Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization, joined the meeting. In total, more than 200 representatives attended the high-level meeting. (PR)

International

Washington DC Fifth Graders Learn About Barbados

Last Friday, a fifth-grade class from JC Nalle Elementary in Washington DC, visited Barbados’ Embassy in Washington as part of the Embassy Adoption Program (EAP). The visit was the culmination of a series of sessions which started in November 2024.

The EAP is a global education programme that links fifth and sixth grade classes with embassies and other global entities to provide DC Public School students with a unique opportunity to expand their global awareness.

The class was initially visited by former teacher, now diplomat, First Secretary William Clarke and staffer, Elle Duguid of the embassy. Mr. Clarke and Ms. Duguid taught students general facts about Barbados including its location, history, government, and economy.

During a second visit in December, the students learned about cricket, ‘bajan’ dialect, the island’s festivals, including Crop Over, and also about celebrations held within Barbados.

For the third and fourth visits respectively, the students were informed about We Gatherin’ and Barbados’ geography, nature and landscape. The Embassy concluded its visits to the school with a presentation on climate vulnerability and sustainability in Barbados.

To cap the programme off, students visited the embassy to meet with Barbados’ Ambassador to the United States of America, Vic Fernandes, to whom they made a presentation on what they learned. The students performed a medley of skits and dances highlighting Barbados’ history and culture. After the presentation, Ambassador Fernandes hosted the students for lunch.

Next month, the JC Nalle Elementary students will participate in the EAP’s Mini United Nations simulation representing Barbados. There, the students will debate the important topic of climate vulnerability and deliver a final presentation showcasing what they learned throughout the programme. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Barbados’ Ambassador to the United States, Vic Fernandes (right), and staff of the Embassy of Barbados in Washington, D.C., pose with fifth graders of JC Nalle Elementary

International

CHINA ANNOUNCES VISA FREE TRAVEL FOR SOME LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES

China plans to expand its visa-free policy for five Latin American/#Caribbean countries and offer 3,500 scholarships and 10,000 training opportunities, as part of a five-programme plan to advance shared development and revitalisation with LAC countries. source Caribbean News UK

International

President Xi Jinping urges solidarity, deeper cooperation at China-CELAC meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping said China is willing to strengthen solidarity with Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries and announced five major programs to jointly pursue development and revitalization with LAC countries on Tuesday.

The five programs, solidarity, development, civilization, peace, and people-to-people connectivity, were announced by Xi while delivering a keynote speech during the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing.

On the solidarity program, Xi said China is willing to strengthen solidarity with Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries and continue to support each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns to firmly safeguard the international system with the UN at its core and international order underpinned by international law and to speak with one voice in international and regional affairs.

In the next three years, China will invite 300 members from political parties of CELAC member states every year to visit China to facilitate exchanges on national governance best practices, Xi said.

Regarding the development program, Xi said China is willing to work with LAC countries to implement the Global Development Initiative, resolutely uphold the multilateral trading system, ensure stable, unimpeded global industrial and supply chains, and promote an international environment of openness and cooperation.

Noting that the two sides should foster greater synergy between their development strategies and expand high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said China will import more quality products from LAC countries and encourage Chinese enterprises to expand their investment in the region.

On the civilization program, Xi called for the joint implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative. He said both sides should uphold the vision of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness between civilizations, champion humanity’s common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, and enhance China-LAC civilizational exchanges and mutual learning, including through a conference on China-LAC inter-civilizational dialogue.

For the peace program, Xi called for the joint implementation of the Global Security Initiative. He said both sides should cooperate more closely in disaster governance, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, anti-corruption, narcotics control, and combating transnational organized crime to safeguard security and stability in the region.

Regarding people-to-people connectivity, Xi said in the next three years, China will provide CELAC member states with 3,500 government scholarships, 10,000 training opportunities in China, 500 International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarships, 300 training opportunities for poverty reduction professionals, and 1,000 funded placements through the Chinese Bridge program, initiate 300 “small and beautiful” livelihood projects, and support CELAC member states in developing Chinese language education.

China has decided to offer a visa-free policy to five LAC countries and will expand the policy to cover more regional countries in due course, Xi said.

Gustavo Petro, president of Colombia, the CELAC rotating chair, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Chilean President Gabriel Boric, and Dilma Rousseff, president of the New Development Bank and former Brazilian president, respectively, addressed the event.

The special representative for Yamandu Orsi, president of Uruguay and the incoming CELAC rotating chair, read out the president’s congratulatory letter.

Faced with a world full of uncertainties, LAC countries and China should work together to promote continuous new progress in building a community with a shared future, they said.

Both sides should respect each other and firmly support each other in safeguarding sovereignty and choosing their own development path, they said, calling for strengthening the synergy between the development strategies of LAC countries and the Belt and Road Initiative and promoting cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, agriculture, science and technology, new energy and education.

The two sides should also promote exchanges and dialogues among civilizations, safeguard the authority of the UN, support multilateralism and free trade, and oppose unilateralism, protectionism, power politics, and bullying to safeguard the common interests of the Global South, they added.

CAPTION: Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech during the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025