Experts applaud President Xi's pledge to support global development

Global observers lauded Chinese President Xi Jinping's speeches at the G20 summit on Monday in Rio de Janeiro, saying that Xi's remarks have contributed wisdom and strength to promoting global common development and improving global governance.

President Xi unveiled China's eight major actions to shore up global development at the first session of the G20 summit, calling for more "bridge for cooperation" and less "small yard, high fences" to support the modernization of developing nations and build a just world of common development.

While at the summit's second session, he made a five-point proposal to improve global governance, stressing greater international consensus could be built to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and an universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

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Full text of President Xi Jinping's speech at Session I of the 19th G20 Summit

Full text: Xi Jinping's speech at Session II of the 19th G20 Summit

Impressed by the remarks of more "bridge for cooperation" and less "small yard, high fences," Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Institute for China-America Studies, said Xi's idea should be preserved and defended. 

"It's easy to say that poverty alleviation is the top priority, but it's not easy to provide the work with resources in an effective and efficient way," Gupta said. "I think China has done that."

Wirun Phichaiwongphakdee, director of the Thailand-China Research Center of the Belt and Road Initiative, said Xi's announcement of China's eight actions in support of global development demonstrates the extraordinary courage and historical responsibility of a leader of a great nation.

As for Xi's call for building a just world of common development, Phichaiwongphakdee said China has made concrete practices and the Belt and Road Initiative has brought unprecedented connectivity to the world.

Mohammed Al-Bishi, the acting editor-in-chief of Aleqtisadiah, a Saudi daily business newspaper, pointed out Xi's speeches once again showed China's commitments to helping poor countries and poor people. "When China [commits] to something, I think it makes it easy for other countries to do it," he said.

In his speech at the summit's first session, Xi reaffirmed China's pledge to help with the development of Africa, including a funding commitment of 360 billion yuan for partnership actions with the continent on the modernization drive.

Dr Matthew L. Bishop, Senior Lecturer in International Politics at the University of Sheffield, believes that it is important that China has maintained ties with the African countries, particularly over the past 20 or 25 years.

"These investment relationships are really significant in terms of supporting China's own transformation, but also in terms of transforming the local economies in Africa as well," Bishop told CGTN.

In an interview with CGTN, Xu Feibiao, director of the Center for BRICS and G20 Studies at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, noted the eight major actions will bring concrete benefits to Africa.

Apart from financial and sci-tech support, Xu highlighted the actions will help promote modernization. "China not only shares its experience, but also brings Africa along in the process of its own modernization."

The Chinese president also announced the decision to give all the least developed countries (LDCs) having diplomatic relations with China zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. Xi pointed out Africa, the the largest source of LDCs globally, will undoubtedly be the biggest beneficiary of the decision. He also said actions related to anti-corruption, poverty reduction and food security would all be helpful in promoting Africa's development.

Wang Yiwei, professor at the School of International Studies at Renmin University of China, said Xi's speeches show that China is by Africa's side in its development efforts and in amplifying Africa's voices at the international stage.

He believes mentioning Africa at the G20 summit will help the world refocus on the continent's development, making a so-called backward continent into one full of hope.