China proves to be a reliable friend and sincere partner of developing countries

In the recent report to the 18^th national congress of the Communist party of China (CPC), outgoing president, Hu Jintao outlined China’s diplomatic priorities in the new era. Apart from cementing bonds with other powers, the report emphasized that China will remain a reliable friend and sincere partner of developing countries. He said China will continue to uphold the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries and support efforts to increase their representation and voice in International affairs. The report highlighted China’s commitment to the improvement the growing solidarity, friendship and cooperation with developing countries on the basis of equality and win-win cooperation.

China, like other developing countries, faces the same challenges of streamlining its economic development pattern, improving people’s livelihood, expanding domestic demands and promoting harmonious coordination of economic and social development. Despite having undergone profound development changes in the last 30 years to become the world’s 2^nd largest economy by nominal GDP, China still remains the largest developing country of the world while Africa is the continent with the greatest number of developing countries. China is committed to working together with developing countries to achieve their common development.

Developing countries have always been China’s important partners in pursuing peaceful development and a major force for a multi-polar world and greater democracy in International relations. Global cooperation is expanding on multiple levels and on all fronts. Developing countries are gaining in overall strength, tipping the balance of international forces in favor of the maintenance of world peace. China has never forgotten that it is developing countries that helped it regain its legitimate seat at the UN in 1971. Ever since, China has remained a reliable political ally to Africa and developing countries at the UN and most importantly, safeguarding their interests at the powerful Security Council.

China has consistently called for larger representation of developing countries within the United Nations Security council, specifically African Nations, in line with the UN reforms. This has been China’s clarion call since it regained its legitimate seat in the United Nations in 1971 with the support and backing of developing countries. China’s views its responsibility as a great power is to promote world peace, development and fairness through the involvement and participation of all stakeholders.

Developed nations often take advantage of their dominant positions to take offensive positions and interfere with the internal affairs of developing nations. China has strongly spoken against this practice and has consistently come to the defense of developing countries by insisting on legality, justice and consensus among countries across the globe. Its stance in favor of developing countries in not only reflected in what it says but by its actions. With respect to Zimbabwe, China has used its veto six times to protect the citizens of Zimbabwe from the punitive sanctions imposed by the western countries.  These sanctions do not entirely influence the decisions of the leadership of Zimbabwe but only subject the ordinary citizen to more hardship and suffering. China will always stand by developing countries. “We will decide our position and policy on an issue on its own merits and work to uphold fairness and justice,” the report said.

Peaceful development has been a buzz word for China’s development in the past decade and the long held Chinese tenets of “an independent foreign policy of peace’ and a “win-win strategy of opening up” will remain guidelines to China’s diplomacy. The report emphasized that China is committed to the peaceful settlement of international disputes and hotspot issues, opposes the wanton use of force or threat to use it, oppose any foreign attempt to subvert the legitimate government of any developing country and will not abandon the principle of non-interference in other countries, however, it will share its views and experiences with other developing countries to ensure peace prevails.

The International status of China and its influence on world affairs has significantly improved. China has used its newfound position to support other developing countries enhance their capacities for self development. It has taken concrete steps to narrow the North-South gap and help other developing countries achieve faster development. China accorded zero tariff treatment to certain products from all the least developed countries having diplomatic relations with it with an intention of increasing their trade revenue and balancing the trade patterns. By the end of 2011, China had completed over 2200 aid projects in recipient developing countries and cancelled debts owed by 50 heavily indebted and least developed countries. It has trained over 60,000 people of various professionals for 173 developing countries to speed up their human resource development.

China and other developing countries still share many common interests. Being developing countries provides China and other developing countries a lot of room and potential for further growth. Chinese leaders have pledged to continue to increase mutually beneficial cooperation with other developing countries and continue to support them in maintaining stability and achieving development.