The Silk Road Journal - By Mahika Ming

The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) issued a white paper on the country's international development cooperation in January 2021. The paper focused on strengthening PRC’s transnational network titled "China's International Development Cooperation in the New Era" was released by the State Council Information Office elaborating on the Super Power’s strategies to manage international cooperation for global development through win-win cooperation. The PRC continued a steady expansion of its international development cooperation even during the COVID crisis in 2020. The focus and attention given to least developed countries in Asia, Africa and developing countries who partner with the PRC in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) (21^st Century Silk Road) is notable. Since the BRI was proposed in 2013, the PRC has carried out development cooperation and contributed to policy, infrastructure, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity based on the needs of partner countries thus creating wider space and many opportunities to enhance best of BRI cooperation.

The PRC is an active contributor to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the PRC plans to be carbon neutral by 2060. Through the BRI, the PRC has been assisting other developing countries including Sri Lanka to increase health facilities, reduce poverty through agricultural progress and equal access to education and improve infrastructure to facilitate industrialization. The Colombo Port City launched in 2014 by the leaders of PRC and Sri Lanka is the largest ever single foreign investment project received by Sri Lanka was part of that process. Since establishment in 1949 the PRC has rendered assistance to the best of its ability to countries in need to strengthen governments to tackle global challenges in improving global health, education and systems of governments. This assistance to developing countries has been delivered as human resources development and technical cooperation sharing its experience and approach. PRC has also worked with bilateral, multilateral and international institutions and donors to strengthen cooperation with transparent win-win attitude. According to the white paper PRC will continue to uphold the vision of a global community of shared future for all beings, respect international law and do everything within its means to promote global development cooperation by adding the strength of the great Chinese civilization into global development.

The writer is an analyst with interests in the financial and sustainable development sectors with postgraduate exposure in the Far East (mahika.ming@gmail.com).