Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly via video on Sept. 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)
BEIJING, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday made a statement at the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) via video.
Xi's proposals for global development have added strong impetus to the global drive to jointly address challenges and promote stronger, greener and healthier global development so as to build a community with a shared future for mankind, experts and officials from across the world have said.
In a statement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed "the announcement made by President Xi that China will end all financing of coal fired power plants abroad and redirect its support to green and low carbon energy."
The electric bus Yutong U12 from China is seen starting its first route in Athens, Greece, Oct. 21, 2020. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)
"China will step up support for other developing countries in developing green and low-carbon energy, and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad," Xi said, referring to green development.
The Global Development Initiative proposed by Xi encourages positive forces, Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation, told Xinhua.
This commitment is the "headline grabber" and "puts climate change theory into real world practice by reducing greenhouse gases, an action step unmatched by the fine rhetoric of others," Kuhn said.
As regards Xi's pledge that "China has never and will never invade or bully others, or seek hegemony," William Jones, Washington bureau chief of the U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review, said that it is "a stark contrast" to some Western leader's claims that their country's values must lead the world.
Commenting on Xi's remarks that "the world is big enough to accommodate common development and progress of all countries," Jones said, "That message will no doubt resound well among the members of the UN and among the peoples of the world."
Photo taken on Sept. 18, 2021 shows China-donated COVID-19 vaccines at an airport in Nairobi, Kenya. (Xinhua/Li Yan)
In the view of Christine Bierre, an expert at the Schiller France Institute, Xi has expounded on strengthening international cooperation against COVID-19, promoting economic recovery and development, improving global governance and practicing multilateralism from the perspective of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
His call for coordinated global COVID-19 response and fair distribution of vaccines is of great importance to international cooperation against the pandemic, said the expert.
Xi's appeal for green development impressed Alexander Gusev, director of Russia's Institute for Strategic Planning and Forecasting, who said the issue is not only an international agenda but also a matter related to people's quality of life.
Sommad Pholsena, vice president of the National Assembly of Laos, highly agreed with Xi's remarks. He said countries' development policies should focus on people's livelihood after the pandemic and at the same time, countries should take a long-term view, emphasize harmony between man and nature, and ensure that development benefits both the world and nature without undermining the foundation for future development.
Egypt's Assistant Foreign Minister of Asian Affairs Tarek El-Wassimy noted that Xi has made suggestions on and contributions to multilateral cooperation and exchanges on many occasions.
A staff member shows the COVID-19 vaccine produced at a VACSERA factory in Giza, Egypt, Sept. 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
China and Egypt are actively cooperating in the fight against the pandemic, he said, adding that Egypt is the first country on the African continent to cooperate with China in the production of COVID-19 vaccine.
"We look forward to continuing coordination and cooperation with China under multilateral frameworks," said the Egyptian diplomat.
Chea Monyrith, president of the Chinese Cambodian Evolution Researcher Association, said China has played an important role in ensuring global vaccine accessibility and affordability, especially in developing countries like Cambodia.
With China's assistance, Cambodia has been actively promoting its vaccination drive, bringing hope for returning to normalcy, he said.
President of Thailand-based Siam Think Tank and Vice President of Panyapiwat Institute of Management, Natee Taweerifuengfung, said that Xi's emphasis on improving global governance, strengthening solidarity and establishing a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, equity, justice and win-win cooperation has ignited the light of hope for the world hit by pandemic. ■
