President calls for expanding imports from developing nations

President Xi Jinping delivers a video speech to the opening ceremony of the celebration for the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, June 12, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that China will actively seek to expand imports from other developing countries, step up cooperation in trade, investment, and development, and help implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

As this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the country is advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts through high-quality development, there will be new and greater opportunities for world development, he said.

Xi made the remarks when delivering a video address at the opening ceremony of the 60th-anniversary celebrations of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

The organization is an intergovernmental body headquartered in Geneva that promotes the interests of developing countries in world trade.

Xi said that since its founding, UNCTAD has vigorously advanced South-South cooperation, advocated North-South dialogue, promoted a new international economic order, and made important contributions to global trade and development.

He announced that over the next five years, China will donate $20 million to UNCTAD to support the implementation of the UN's 2030 Agenda, ensuring that no country is left behind.

In a world where peace and development face new challenges, the Chinese president said it is important to foster an international environment for peaceful development.

All countries, and particularly major ones, should pursue true multilateralism, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world, abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and support a more effective role for UNCTAD and other multilateral agencies, he said.

Xi stressed the need to advocate universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, properly resolve development imbalances and other issues, and make the global governance system more just and equitable.

He said it is important to build an open, inclusive, and nondiscriminatory environment for the digital economy, follow the people-centered, AI-for-good principle and strengthen AI-related rules and governance within the framework of the UN.

Efforts should be made to help developing countries join the trend of digital, smart and green development, he added.

Noting that China will always be a member of the Global South and the developing world, Xi pledged that the country will work together with all parties to give the world a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress.