Proposal put forward at event to bolster G20's role in global battle against COVID
President Xi Jinping has underlined the importance of development in
tackling poverty, vowing to build a poverty-free world featuring common
development with other countries.
Speaking during the second session of the 15th Group of 20 Leaders'
Summit via video link in Beijing on Sunday, Xi called for efforts to
alleviate the debt burden of developing countries and to provide
necessary financial support to them.
He also stressed that digital technology should play a role in
providing more opportunities for vulnerable groups including small and
medium-sized enterprises, women and youth to be lifted out of poverty.
On Saturday, Xi called on all members of the G20 to consider greater
teamwork on vaccines, free trade, technology, the digital economy and
debt reduction in tackling the impact brought by the second wave of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Xi put forward a four-point proposal for bolstering the
"irreplaceable role" played by the G20 in the global virus fight in a
speech via video link to the first session of the summit on Saturday.
Calling for building a global firewall against COVID-19, Xi urged G20
members to bring the disease under control at home and help countries
in need, speed up action and support the World Health Organization in
mobilizing and consolidating resources and distributing COVID-19
vaccines fairly and efficiently.
China stands ready to step up cooperation with other countries on the
research, development, production and distribution of vaccines, and
will honor its commitment to give assistance and support to other
developing countries and work to make vaccines an accessible and
affordable global public good, he said.
To ensure the smooth functioning of the global economy, Xi
highlighted the need to restore the secure and smooth operation of
global industrial and supply chains, reduce tariffs and barriers, and
explore the liberalization of trade in key medical supplies while
containing the virus.
Xi called for bolstering links and synergies between policies and
standards as well as building "fast tracks" to facilitate travel.
"China has proposed a global mechanism on the mutual recognition of
health certificates based on nucleic acid test results in the form of
internationally accepted QR codes. We hope more countries will join this
mechanism," Xi said.
Speaking on the growth of the contact-free, digital economy which has
been accelerated by the pandemic, Xi said G20 members should foster an
enabling environment for the development of the digital economy, enhance
data security cooperation, strengthen digital infrastructure and level
the playing field for high-tech companies from all countries.
Countries should also "address the challenges posed by the digital
economy to employment, taxation and vulnerable groups, and seek to
bridge the digital divide", Xi added.
On helping developing countries overcome the hardships caused by the
pandemic, he said China, despite its own difficulties, has fully
implemented the G20's Debt Service Suspension Initiative and put off
debt repayments totaling over $1.3 billion.
China will further suspend or relieve the debt of countries facing
particular difficulties, he said, adding that the G20 members "should
help women walk out of the shadow of the pandemic" and take the
challenge of food security seriously.
Strengthening role
At the session, Xi also put forward four-point proposals on
strengthening the leading role of the G20 in terms of upholding
multilateralism, pursuing openness and inclusiveness, promoting mutually
beneficial cooperation and keeping pace with the times.
All parties should firmly support the United Nations' authority and
status and "support the UN in more effectively building global
consensus, mobilizing global resources and coordinating global actions",
he said.
To perfect the governance architecture for economic globalization,
countries should firmly safeguard the rules-based multilateral trading
system, support reform of the World Trade Organization to boost its
efficacy and authority, promote free trade, oppose unilateralism and
protectionism and uphold fair competition, Xi said.
To further reform the international financial system, he called on
countries to conclude the IMF's 16th General Quota Review on schedule,
expand the role of Special Drawing Rights and strengthen the global
financial safety net.
Xi noted that, in order to ensure the sound growth of the digital
economy, China recently launched the Global Initiative on Data Security,
based on which it is ready to discuss the formulation of rules on
global digital governance with all parties.
Also, China supports more dialogue on artificial intelligence, and
proposes a meeting on this in due course to advance the G20 AI
Principles and set the course for the healthy development of AI
globally, he said.
On addressing global challenges, Xi stressed the need to "forge a
strong shield for human health and safety, and build a global community
of health for all", further curtail the production and use of
nonessential, disposable plastic goods, and completely ban the illegal
trade of wildlife.
When speaking on the Chinese economy, he said the country "has made
steady strides in economic development", and its new development
paradigm "is by no means a closed-door policy".
While making its economy more resilient and competitive, China also
aims to build a new system of open economy of higher standards, which
"will create more opportunities for the world to benefit from China's
high-quality development", he said.