Xi calls for steering global development to new era

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for steering global development to a new era when he delivered a keynote speech in virtual format at the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum.

Noting that development holds the key to solving various difficult problems and delivering better lives to the people, Xi said "we should respond to people's concerns, pursue the larger interests of all countries, and steer global development to a new era to deliver benefit to all."

Today, the global development process has hit major roadblocks, the momentum of international development cooperation is being weakened, and development gap between the North and the South keeps widening, Xi said, adding that what has been achieved in decades of global poverty reduction efforts could be lost.

When expounding on the Global Development Initiative that he put forward last year, Xi said he called on all countries to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, forge united, equal, balanced and inclusive global development partnership, and promote cooperation in a wide range of areas such as poverty reduction, public health, education, digital connectivity and industrialization.

He highlighted the need to deepen cooperation to better safeguard food and energy security, seize opportunities presented by the new scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and engage in cooperation on COVID-19 response.