Release of the Report on Promoting Modernization Across Countries Through the Global Development Initiative

Ambassador Chen Bo, 

Excellencies, 

Distinguished guests, 

Good afternoon. 

Let me begin by extending my sincere gratitude to the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) for the kind invitation. I am honoured to join you today for the launch of this timely and important report—Promoting Modernization Across Countries Through the Global Development Initiative. 

We gather today at a moment of profound global transformation. We are living in what the UN Secretary-General has described as an era of “polycrisis”—where multiple, interconnected challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, rising geopolitical tensions, economic instability, and digital divides are compounding and intensifying. These challenges know no borders, and they cannot be solved in isolation. 

This is why international cooperation is more essential than ever. And it is why the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals remain our shared blueprint for peace, prosperity, and a healthy planet. 

Yet, with only five years remaining to achieve the SDGs, the latest data from the United Nations paints a sobering picture: nearly half of all targets are off track or have stagnated, and more than one-third have even regressed. Meanwhile, over 80 armed conflicts are raging across the globe. Vulnerable populations are being left behind. 

We need bold, inclusive, and urgent action. And we need it now. 

The Global Development Initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2021, represents a welcome and timely step toward revitalizing global development cooperation, with a clear focus on placing people at the centre of modernization efforts. 

Its alignment with the SDGs—particularly in areas such as poverty eradication, food security, climate response, and equitable growth—positions the GDI as a potential catalyst for transformative change. 

Encouraging progress is already underway. China has supported over 200 GDI projects across more than 70 countries. These initiatives have expanded agricultural cooperation in Africa, delivered solar power systems in Asia, and supported post-pandemic recovery and public health capacity building around the world. These are not just projects; they are tangible improvements in people’s lives. 

As the UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said, “It’s time to rescue the SDGs as a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. We must build on our successes and accelerate progress in key areas that will achieve the greatest impact.” 

The GDI echoes that call— placing people at the heart of modernization and embracing sustainability and shared prosperity as core principles of development. 

Here in China, the United Nations is proud to be a close partner in these efforts. Together with Chinese counterparts, we are advancing climate adaptation, clean energy transitions, digital inclusion, and women’s empowerment. Through our Cooperation Framework with the government, we align the UN’s support with China’s national development goals and the SDGs, including efforts to enhance South-South cooperation and extend development benefits beyond China’s borders. 

Let me offer one example. Through the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund, supported by China, UN agencies have implemented projects that strengthen institutions and foster resilience in conflict-affected areas. These efforts underscore China’s growing role in providing global public goods. 

Looking ahead, the United Nations in China stands ready to deepen collaboration with CIIS, the Chinese government, and other partners to advance sustainable modernization, anchored in inclusivity, innovation, and international solidarity. 

Today’s launch of this report – and this gathering under the “CIIS Dialogue” series – provides an important platform for knowledge exchange and reflection. 

Let us use this opportunity to reaffirm the commitment that binds us all: a shared responsibility to shape a future that leaves no one behind. 

Together, through our collective will, and with the support of GDI to accelerate SDG progress, we can chart a path toward sustainable modernization that delivers prosperity for all people, everywhere. 

Thank you.