Co-hosted by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and Germany's Friedrich Ebert Foundation, the "2025 China-Germany Human Rights Development Forum" was held in Beijing on Thursday. Around 30 experts and scholars from both countries joined online and in person to discuss the theme: Synergy Between International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid.

During the forum, Chinese and German experts agreed that strengthening development cooperation and providing humanitarian assistance require true multilateralism. They emphasized addressing both symptoms and root causes, empowering communities for sustainable growth, reducing crises through development and improving global human rights governance.

Li Hongkui, vice chairman and secretary-general of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development, noted that the UN's 2025 Sustainable Development Goals Report shows nearly 800 million people still live in extreme poverty, and billions lack safe drinking water and sanitation. With major challenges facing global human rights, he said China and Germany, as the world's second- and third-largest economies, should shoulder greater responsibility.

Former German Justice Minister Herta Däubler-Gmelin said humanitarian aid and development cooperation are the two pillars that unite the world. Development assistance, she noted, enhances the resilience and capabilities of recipient countries. She added that China and Germany, as well as China and the EU, have significant potential for cooperation, backed by rich histories, strong innovation capacities and growing international responsibilities.

Since launching their human rights dialogue in 1999, the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation have established long-term cooperation. They have jointly held 12 China-Germany human rights seminars and eight China-Germany human rights development forums, contributing to better communication and understanding between the two societies and strengthening people-to-people exchanges.