— Speech at the Dialogue of Emerging Market and Developing Countries

(September 5, 2017)

Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China

Dear Colleagues, 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Friends,

Good morning! Now, I announce the opening of the Dialogue of Emerging Market and Developing Countries.

First, I want to extend a warm welcome to all who attend this dialogue. During our leaders’ meetings, BRICS countries always attach importance to communication and exchange of views with other emerging market and developing countries. As the host of the summit this year, China is introducing a new approach to such communications. We are inviting representative countries from various parts of the world to attend this dialogue in the hope that such dialogues will be both conducive to the solidarity and cooperation among emerging market anddeveloping countries and beneficial to the improvement of the BRICS mechanism.

It is a rare opportunity for all of us to gather together. Many colleagues have traveled from afar, and some have even altered their schedules in order to attend the dialogue. I really appreciate this. I expect that we can take the opportunity to discuss together the theme of “Strengthening Mutually-Ben eficial Cooperation for Common Development”, so as to give more impetus to South-South cooperation and the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Since we entered the 21st century, the collective rise of emerging market and developing countries has become an irreversible trend of our times. For several years now, our contribution to world economic growth has remained high, reaching 80 percent in 2016. We are without any doubt the major engine of global growth. The recent trend of the world economy is turning favorable. International trade and investment is increasing; a new scientific, technological and industrial revolution is gaining strength; a succession of new industries, technologies, and forms of business are emerging. From this perspective, emerging market and developing countries are facing a favorable opportunity for development.

At the same time, it should be noted that the world economy faces a growing number of downside risks and uncertainties. Multilateral trade negotiations encounter severe difficulties, and the Paris Agreement is meeting with resistance. Some countries are showing signs of retreating from international cooperation, and focusing more on domestic affairs. The effect of such countries’ policy adjustments is spilling over into other countries. The world economy has entered a critical stage where new driving forces are replacing the old ones at a more rapid pace. The contest to further national interests and to set international rules is increasingly fierce. Emerging market and developing countries face a more complex and serious external environment.

When sailing against the current, either you keep forging ahead or you fall behind. Given the new circumstances, emerging market and developing countries need to pull together and work hand in hand more confidently to foster a favorable environment for greater development, and make a bigger contribution to global growth.

First, we need to work more closely to build an open world economy. In the modern era, all countries constitute a community of shared interests and depend on each other for existence. Cooperation for mutually-beneficial results, in an open and inclusive manner, is the only sound option. Actions such as shifting one’s troubles onto others and playing zero-sum games will not benefit global growth, and emerging market and developing countries will bear the brunt. We should advocate and welcome an open world economy, firmly supporting the multilateral trading regime, opposing protectionism, and rebalancing economic globalization to make it more inclusive and equitable. We need to strengthen coordination on policy positions, work toward a positive outcome at the upcoming 11th WTO Ministerial Conference, make progress on the remaining items of the Doha Development Round, and provide direction to the multilateral trading regime. We need to promote greater representation of emerging market and developing countries in global economic governance, make their voice better heard, and foster an international economic order that is fairer and more equitable.

Second, we need to work more closely to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Development is the top priority for emerging market and developing countries. We need to implement our national development strategies in the context of the Sustainable Development Agenda and in light of our respective national conditions. We need to insist on this and find a sustainable development path featuring coordinated economic, social and ecological progress. We need to call on the international community to prioritize development in macro-policy coordination, better leverage the role of the United Nations, make good use of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, and accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda. We need to urge developed countries to honor their commitments, to observe such principles as common but differentiated responsibilities, and to increase support to developing countries. As the United Nations considers reform of its development system, we need to ensure that reform will focus on development, devote more resources to it, and truly serve the needs of developing countries.

Third, we need to work more closely to seize the historic opportunities of world economic restructuring. The new scientific, technological and industrial revolution will create fresh momentum and a golden opportunity for development. Emerging market and developing countries will leapfrog developed countries if we can grasp this opportunity; if we fail to do this, we will lag even farther behind. Therefore, we must take bold steps in innovation and reform, press ahead with economic structural adjustment, and invigorate domestic driving forces for growth. At the same time, we must formulate our social policy in a way that meets people’s basic needs and work all out to ensure a better life for our people. We need to enhance the alignment of our development strategies and strengthen cooperation in best practice-sharing and capacity-building in the fields like infrastructure, science and technology, education, and industry, as a way to support our mutual pursuit of economic development.

Fourth, we need to work more closely to build extensive development partnerships. As a Chinese saying goes, “A single flower does not herald spring; a single wild goose cannot make a formation.” All emerging market and developing countries face similar tasks in development. By achieving deeper practical cooperation and tapping into complementarity, we can multiply the impact. We need to make good use of BRICS, G77 and other similar mechanisms, broaden South-South cooperation on a larger scale and to more areas, and jointly address global challenges. We also need to forge chains of interconnected development and seek strength through unity. China’s purpose in holding this dialogue of emerging market and developing countries is to foster a network of partnerships and to build a community of common development and shared future.

Dear colleagues,

China attaches great importance to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We have formulated China’s National Plan on Implementation of the 2030 Agenda, established demonstration zones focusing on innovation for sustainable development, and harvested early fruits in economic, social, environmental and many other fields. In order to promote cooperation in international development, China will actively help fellow developing countries in implementing the Sustainable Development Agenda through mechanisms like the Assistance Fund for South- South Cooperation, the China-UN Peace and Development Fund and the South-South Climate Cooperation Fund.

I wish to take this opportunity to announce that China will provide US0 million to the Assistance Fund for South-South Cooperation to help fellow developing countries tackle challenges involving famine, refugees, climate change, public health and others. China will utilize the International Development Knowledge Center, Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development and other platforms to enhance development experience-sharing and capacity-building cooperation with other countries. China will provide other developing countries with 40,000 training opportunities in the year to come.

Four years ago, I proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, which has elicited positive responses from the international community. Last May, China successfully held the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Those countries and international organizations involved drew up the vision for Belt and Road cooperation together, and put forward a series of practical measures to support our sustainable development. All participants agreed that the philosophy and vision of the Belt and Road Initiative, including policy, infrastructure, trade, financial and people- to-people connectivity, have much in common with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the two can very well complement and reinforce each other.

The Belt and Road is as much a path of cooperation as one of hope and mutual benefit. China will honor the outcomes reached at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and promote cooperation in areas such as infrastructure connectivity, manufacturing capacity, and sci-tech innovation.

An ancient Chinese said, “There is nothing difficult for us to do in the world. If we do it, the difficult thing will be easy; if we don’t, the easy thing will be difficult.” Emerging market and developing countries represent the future of world development. It is our duty to promote international development cooperation and implement the Sustainable Development Agenda. Let us work together to blaze a new trail to development that is fair, open, comprehensive and innovative.

Thank you.