XIAMEN, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of remarks by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Dialogue of Emerging Market and Developing Countries on Tuesday:
Strengthening Mutually-Beneficial Cooperation for Common Development
Remarks by H.E. Xi Jinping
President of the People's Republic of China
At the Dialogue of Emerging Market and Developing Countries
Xiamen, 5 September 2017
Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,
Good morning! I would like to announce that the Dialogue of Emerging Market and Developing Countries now begins.
I warmly welcome you all to the Dialogue. When we BRICS leaders meet, we attach importance to communicating and interacting with other emerging market and developing countries. This year, the Chinese side has built on past practices and tried something new by inviting representative countries from different regions to today's dialogue. I believe such kind of dialogue will help strengthen the solidarity and cooperation among emerging market and developing countries and contribute to the development of the BRICS mechanism.
It is indeed not easy for us to get together today. Many colleagues have traveled long distances, and some have even rescheduled their program to attend the dialogue. I extend my appreciation to you all. I look forward to our discussion on the important issue of development cooperation under the theme of "Strengthening Mutually-Beneficial Cooperation for Common Development", which I believe will lend a strong impetus to deepening South-South cooperation and implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Since we entered the 21st century, the collective rise of emerging market and developing countries has become an irreversible trend of our times. In recent years, these countries have made more contribution to global economic growth than others. Accounting for 80 percent of the global growth in 2016, they are worthy of the reputation as the primary engine of the world economy. As the latest developments suggest, the global economy is looking up and international trade and investment are picking up. A new round of technological and industrial revolution is gathering momentum. New industries, new technologies and new business models are emerging. In this context, emerging market and developing countries face a rare opportunity of development.
That said, we should not lose sight of the growing risks of downward pressure and uncertainties in the world economy. Multilateral trade negotiations are stalled, and the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change is encountering resistance. Some countries have become more inward-looking and less inclined to engage in international development cooperation, and spillovers of their policy adjustment are deepening. As the world economy enters a crucial stage where new drivers of growth are replacing traditional ones at a quicker pace, there is mounting competition focused on interests and rules. This makes the external environment for emerging market and developing countries more complex and challenging.
A boat sailing against the currents has to forge ahead or risks falling behind. Given the new circumstances, emerging market and developing countries need to pull together and work hand in hand more confidently to foster a favorable environment for greater development, and make bigger contribution to global growth.
First, we need to work more closely to build an open world economy. In an increasingly interdependent and integrated world where countries form a community of shared interests, openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation are the only viable option. The beggar-thy-neighbor practice or zero-sum game will not help world economic growth, but will undermine, first and foremost, the interests of emerging market and developing countries. We need to advocate an open world economy, firmly support the multilateral trading regime, oppose protectionism, and rebalance economic globalization to make it more inclusive and equitable. We need to strengthen coordination on positions, work toward a positive outcome at the upcoming 11th WTO Ministerial Conference, make progress on the remaining items of the Doha Development Round, and provide direction to the multilateral trading regime. We need to promote greater representation and voice of emerging market and developing countries in global economic governance, and foster an international economic order that is fairer and more equitable.
Second, we need to work more closely to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Development remains the top priority for emerging market and developing countries. We need to implement our national development strategies in the context of the Sustainable Development Agenda and in light of our respective national conditions. This will help us find a path of sustainable development featuring coordinated economic, social and ecological progress. We need to call on the international community to place development high on the agenda of macro-policy coordination, better leverage the role of the United Nations, make good use of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, and accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda. We need to urge developed countries to honor their commitments, to observe such principles as common but differentiated responsibilities, and to increase support to developing countries. As the United Nations is considering reform of its development system, we need to ensure that the reform will focus on development and bring more input to truly serve the need of developing countries. (more)