A Chinese expert teaches mushroom planting technology to Fijian farmers. Photo by Qu Xiangyu from People’s Daily

Juncao, a type of herbal plant that are suitable for cultivating edible and medicinal fungi introduced by China to replace timber as a substrate for growing mushrooms, was a hot topic at a symposium held at UN headquarters this April.

Juncao technology is a part of China’s technical assistance program and has been introduced to 106 countries so far.

The plant, dubbed as “poverty relief plants” or “China plants” by people in countries along the Belt and Road, have taken root in many countries such as Rwanda and Lesotho, delivering benefits to local people.

Juncao technology is just an epitome of China’s foreign assistance. Over the years, China has provided assistance to other developing countries with utmost efforts under the South-South Cooperation framework.

China has been helping recipient countries boost their economy, reduce poverty, improve people’s wellbeing and make huge contributions to facilitating South-South Cooperation and building a community with a shared future for mankind. By doing so, China has further built its image as a responsible major country.

As the largest developing country in the world, China has proactively played a responsible role in foreign assistance since 1949, far exceeding the expectation of the international society.

In January 1964, Chinese premier Zhou Enlai proposed eight principles to guide China’s foreign economic and technical assistance during his visit to Ghana. Since the reform and opening-up,, China’s foreign assistance policy has adjusted in accordance with the changing international landscape and global technological development, considering both its own capability and the needs of the recipient countries.

China has become the world’s second largest economy since 2010. Thanks to the huge improvement of the country’s international status, the Chinese government has made substantial efforts to help developing countries reduce poverty, improve people’s livelihood, and protect the environment.

Through mechanisms such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund, China has put into practice the philosophy of cooperative development, working for a community of shared future for mankind.

China’s foreign assistance follows the framework of South-South Cooperation between developing countries. It attaches no political string to its foreign assistance, and always respects the willingness and demand of the recipient countries.

China sticks to equal consultation and focus on the economic and social development of the local community. It does not impose its model of development on others.

As Chinese idiom says, give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day, show him how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. China is aligning its own development strategies with those of other developing countries, offering training programs to improve the development capability of the recipient countries.

China has put great effort on infrastructure construction and has built a large number of livelihood projects in the recipient countries. These projects have greatly enhanced the sense of fulfillment for local people.

In April 2018, the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) was established, marking a new phase for China’s foreign assistance

Adhering to a more balanced approach to upholding principles and pursuing interests, the agency has won wide acclaim from the international community for the assistance it offers to developing countries.

The new era has raised new requests for China’s foreign assistance, and it will assume new responsibilities and play new roles in this sphere.

During China’s NPC and CPPCC sessions this March, Wang Xiaotao, the director of CIDCA said that China’s foreign assistance will serve under the structure of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and the Belt and Road Initiative , inheriting China’s long-term commitment to the world, showcasing Chinese people’s understanding of justice and compassion, displaying China’s image of offering timely assistance to the international community.

Mr. Wang said, China will work together with all countries and international organizations to make contributions to the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and build a community of shared future for mankind.