Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentleman,

Good afternoon. It is my pleasure to attend the side event “Facilitating structural transformation to achieve the sustainable development goals in Asia-Pacific LDCs”. The government of China supported the ESCAP Secretariat to carry out the project namely “Strengthening the capacity of Asia-Pacific least developed countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through structural transformation and regional cooperation” through China-ESCAP Cooperation Programme (CECP), and this side event is one of the implementation activities. It aims to help Asia-Pacific LDCs to formulate policies, promote economic structural transformation, and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Helping LDCs alleviate poverty and achieve sustainable development is a necessary prerequisite for lasting prosperity in the world, and it is also a bounden duty and obligation of the international community. At present, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has encountered twists and turns, and the LDCs are facing difficulties in their development. The international community should better understand the actual challenges that LDCs are facing, fully respect their independent choices, listen carefully to their reasonable demands, and support their sustainable development needs with practical actions.

First, the international community should adhere to true multilateralism and provide stronger support to the LDCs. Development partners should earnestly fulfill their official development assistance commitments and increase financial and technical support to the LDCs. International financial institutions and multilateral development agencies should give priority to helping the LDCs. It is also necessary to actively promote South-South cooperation and strengthen experience sharing and mutual assistance among developing countries.

Second, the international community should create a global development environment conducive to the economic and social recovery of the LDCs and promote sustainable and inclusive development. We need to oppose protectionism and unilateralism, adhere to the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. We need to implement trade facilitation and trade promotion aid measures, and help the LDCs improve their trade capacity. It is also necessary to increase investment in the LDCs, and promote their employment, economic structural transformation, and economic growth.

Third, the international community should strengthen global and regional cooperation, take full advantage of multilateral platforms such as the United Nations and ESCAP. We need to adhere to prioritizing development, and help the LDCs expand their development activities to effectively address urgent challenges such as climate change, food and energy security, and financing for development etc. Leaving no country and no one behind.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As the largest developing country, China fully understands the development needs and challenges of the LDCs. China always regards the LDCs as the focus of assistance, and keeps close cooperation with the LDCs to support them in enhancing their development capabilities. Over the past 70 years, China has implemented more than 3,000 infrastructure projects, about 2,000 batches of material assistance, more than 700 technical assistance projects, and hundreds of thousands of human resources development and training projects in developing countries. China and the LDCs are jointly building the "Belt and Road" to help improve their infrastructure and strengthen connectivity. For example, China is committed to aligning the "Belt and Road" Initiative with the development strategies of African countries. China has established production capacity cooperation mechanisms with 15 African countries, and has cooperated with Africa to build more than 20 industrial parks, helping Africa transform resource advantages into development advantages through industrialization cooperation and promoting economic transformation in African countries.

China supports the LDCs in expanding exports, absorbing investment, reducing debt burdens and improving their development environment. Under the framework of WTO, China has provided zero-tariff treatment to 97% of the products exported to China from the LDCs, and has become the largest export destination of LDCs for many years. China has also become the largest source of direct investment in the LDCs. China actively helps the LDCs obtain international financing, and encourages the IMF and the World Bank in giving priority to the funds for the LDCs. China has fully implemented the G20’s Debt Service Suspension Initiative for Poorest Countries, and the total debt service payments suspended by China are the largest among G20 members.

In September 2021, President Xi Jinping put forth the Global Development Initiative, focusing on solving the problem of unbalanced development and accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Initiative has received extensive support from over 100 countries and international organizations. China welcomes the LDCs to participate in the Global Development Initiative to jointly promote sustainable development, and join hands to forge a united, equal, balanced and inclusive global development partnership.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In October last year, the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was successfully held, drawing out a grand blueprint for building a modern socialist country in all respects. As laid out in the report to the Congress, China is committed to its fundamental national policy of opening to the outside world and pursues a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up. It strives to create new opportunities for the world with its own development and to contribute its share to building an open global economy that delivers greater benefits to all peoples. China is a close partner of the LDCs and a staunch supporter for the LDCs to achieve sustainable development. China will jointly work with the international community to fully implement the Doha Programme of Action, and support the LDCs on the path of national prosperity, social harmony and people's well-being for a global community of development.

Thank you.