New aid agency displays resolve for shared growth

With China's foreign aid continuing to increase along with its growing global reach, the announcement on Tuesday that an international development cooperation agency is to be set up as part of the restructuring of government departments is noteworthy but not undue.

According to the plan submitted to the country's top legislature, the new agency will help enhance the strategic planning and coordination of foreign aid and humanitarian assistance, which is now mainly the work of the ministries of commerce and foreign affairs.

It will also enable China to clarify that it seeks to promote the self-reliance and resilience of the recipients of its assistance, and never imposes any political conditions on its aid or seek to use it as a means to interfere in the internal affairs of recipient countries.