Pakistan Reaffirms Commitment to China’s Global Development Initiative at Beijing Forum
Islamabad, July 29:Pakistan has reiterated its strong support for China’s Global Development Initiative (GDI), reaffirming its commitment to multilateral cooperation, sustainable development, and peaceful conflict resolution during a high-level forum in Beijing commemorating the fifth anniversary of the initiative. The event brought together diplomats, United Nations representatives, think tanks, and academic experts to review the progress of the GDI and explore avenues for deeper international collaboration. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered the keynote address.
Addressing the gathering, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, recalled the global challenges that prompted Chinese President Xi Jinping to launch the GDI and underscored Pakistan’s continued support for the initiative’s vision of placing development at the core of global governance. He noted that the GDI complements the principles of the United Nations Charter and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by promoting inclusive growth, international solidarity, and shared prosperity.
Highlighting the initiative’s achievements, Ambassador Hashmi observed that China has extended more than US$23 billion in development assistance for nearly 1,800 projects worldwide, while the initiative has gained the support of over 100 countries and international organizations, including the United Nations.
Emphasizing the close relationship between peace and development, the ambassador stressed that sustainable progress requires dialogue, mediation, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. He called for increased global investment in preventive diplomacy and advocated a fair, open, and rules-based international economic order that enables developing countries to benefit from equitable growth opportunities.
Looking ahead, Ambassador Hashmi proposed five priorities for advancing the Global Development Initiative, including fostering a peaceful international environment, strengthening multilateral partnerships, narrowing the technology and artificial intelligence divide, expanding industrial cooperation between China and developing countries, and enhancing collaboration in marine geology, water resource management, climate resilience, and biodiversity conservation. He said these priorities would help build a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable global development framework while addressing the evolving challenges facing the international community.
