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| Speech by Mr. Yi Xiaozhun, Head of the Chinese Delegation at UNIDO 12th General Conference |
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| Tuesday,December 11,2007 Posted: 17:50 BJT(0950 GMT) | | From:MOFCOM Article type:Original |
December 4th, 2007 Vienna
Mr. President,
First, please allow me to express my congratulations, on behalf of the Chinese Delegation, on your assumption of the presidency of this General Conference. My congratulation also goes to other members of the presidium. I am convinced that with your wisdom and experience, your group will well fulfill the important mission at this General Conference. I would also like to thank Mr. Somol for his valuable contribution during his presidency of the last session of the General Conference.
Mr. President, the current international environment is a highly complex one. Mankind is facing both unprecedented opportunities and challenges. There is a growing trend towards peace, development and cooperation in the world. On the other hand, traditional and non-traditional security threats are intertwined, hotspot issues are acute, the gap between the North and South is widening, trade protectionism is resurfacing, and developing countries generally remain in a disadvantaged position.
Mr. President, the Chinese delegation holds the view that poverty is a major source of disputes, and only development can eliminate poverty. Human development concerns us all. The international community shall act with a sense of urgency and redouble efforts to deliver the Millennium Development Goals and narrow the North-South gap and, in particular, meet Africa's special need for development. Developed countries should increase assistance, open domestic market wider and transfer more technologies to developing countries and provide greater debt relief to them. Developing countries, on their part, should adopt development strategies and policies suited to their national conditions and boost their economic development. We should support an open, equitable and fair multilateral trading regime and oppose trade protectionism. We shall work for an early, comprehensive and balanced outcome of the Doha Round negotiations and make it a round of development. Reform of the international economic system should give full expression to changes in the world economy, and give developing countries more say and greater representation in the international economic system. Embracing multi-lateralism, strengthening the role of the United Nations, and striving for common growth and prosperity are the foundation for world peace and human progress. It has become the shared aspiration and pursuit of the international community, and is also the important mission of UN organizations including UNIDO.
Mr. President, UNDIO as the central coordination agency within UN system for promoting industrial advancement and economic development, has its unique responsibility in helping the developing countries in their strive for poverty alleviation, and for realizing the Millennium Development Goals. We appreciate the continuous efforts made by the organization in the past years for fulfilling its historical mission. We have noted with satisfaction that, the reform measures taken by UNIDO, under the able leadership of the Director General, Mr. Yumkella since last general conference for improving its efficiency and financial stability, promoting south-south cooperation, as well as for strengthening partnership with other UN agencies, have yielded very fruitful results. The performance of UNIDO is effectively improved.
However, we notice with concern that UNIDO’s resources for technical assistance are still far from enough comparing with the demand, which calls for continuing efforts by the organization and related parties. The Chinese delegation appreciates the efforts made by member states in settling all its outstanding contribution and paying their arrears despite their own financial difficulties. We call all member states to fulfill their financial responsibilities fully and on schedule so as to support UNIDO with action. At the same time, we hope that UNIDO will also strengthen its capacity of fund mobilization, so as to obtain more resources to fulfill its mandate.
As a country with the largest population, China still faces enormous challenges. China's per capita GDP for 2006 just outnumbered US $ 2,000, outranked by over a hundred other States. By the criteria of the World Bank that consider those who live on less than one US dollar a day as poor, China's poor population numbers more than 150 million, being the second highest in the world and all of them are badly in need of help. In addition, China has more than 83 million people with disabilities. Economic development, poverty eradication and the realization of modernization remain daunting challenges for China. However, as a member of UNIDO family, the Chinese government stands ready to make an even greater contribution to the Organization. China's assessment rate has increased to 3.707% for 2008-2009, representing a 24.1% increase of that of the year 2006, which is the largest among all member states. The Chinese government has honored its financial obligation towards the Organization both in word and in deed by paying its dues in full and on time every year.
Mr. President, the Chinese Delegation appreciates the continuous efforts made by UNIDO in promoting South-South cooperation. The Chinese government has been always attaching great importance to the south-south cooperation, being one of the initiators and active participants. While a developing country itself, China has all along provided assistance to other developing countries according to its ability, making contributions to improvement of their capacity for independent and sustainable development. I would also like to take this opportunity to touch upon the China-Africa cooperation. To help Africa realize stability, security and sustainable development is the common responsibility of the international community. Thanks to our joint efforts, China-Africa cooperation has yielded fruitful results. Such cooperation is well received by the African countries and it has brought great benefits to both the Chinese and African peoples. In the Beijing Summit of China-Africa Cooperation Forum held in November 2006, the Chinese President Hu Jintao declared eight measures favorable to the development of African countries, including enlarging the scale of aid, providing preferential loans, exempting debts, setting up China-Africa Development Fund, establishing economic and trade cooperation zones and strengthening capacity building etc. Up to present, much progress has been made in implementing the above-said measures.
Over the past few years, China has cooperated with UNIDO in conducting a series of projects in the field of south-south cooperation and very positive results have been achieved, including transfer of small hydro-power technology in Asia and African countries, as well as cooperation in investment promotion, dissemination of low-cost building material, and renewable energy technology in other countries. In last September, the Chinese government signed a project document with UNIDO in establishing the South-South Industrial Cooperation Centre in Beijing. It is our belief that this Centre will play an active role in strengthening experience-sharing and investment promotion among developing countries. The Chinese government will do its best to continue and expand its cooperation with UNIDO in the area of South-South cooperation.
Mr. President, as we look into the future, UNIDO has an arduous task in enhancing economic development, and poverty reduction in developing countries. In the pursuit of this great goal, China will always be a strong supporter and a close partner of the UNIDO. We have every confidence in UNIDO. And we have every confidence in cooperation between China and UNIDO.
In conclusion, I wish the General Conference a complete success.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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