Chief scientist Lin Zhanxi of China National Engineering Research Center of Juncao
Technology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, checks mushrooms cultivated
from crushed Pennisetum sinese Roxb. (Photo by Wei Peiquan/Xinhua)
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the Forum on the 20th Anniversary of
Juncao Assistance and Sustainable Development Cooperation, hailing the gigantic role played by
the unique Chinese technology of Juncao in international development and cooperation.
Xi emphasized that China is willing to work with relevant parties to continue to contribute China’s
wisdom and China’s solutions to the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development and make Juncao technology a “grass of happiness” that benefits people
in developing countries.
Over the past 20 years since the Juncao technology was firstly introduced to other countries, it has
made important contributions to promoting local economic development and livelihood. It
demonstrates China’s sincerity and actions to advance global poverty reduction cooperation,
promote common progress and contribute to global sustainable development.
The Juncao technology generates economic, social and environmental benefits, and the Chinese
government has long used it to serve human development.
When Xi was working in Fujian province, he personally promoted the building of the first
overseas demonstration base for Juncao technology in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 2001, raising
the curtain for China’s international cooperation on the technology.
He also witnessed the signing of a series of aid programs between China and PNG related to new
Juncao technology and dry land rice planting when paying a state visit to the Pacific island
country in 2018.
So far, the technology has been introduced to over 100 countries and is generally welcomed by
developing countries.
President of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, said
the technology has made an important contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals set in
the 2030 Agenda, from poverty eradication to clean energy, gender equality to preserving
biodiversity.
Juncao, an herbal plant for growing edible mushrooms, is connecting people around the world.
Over the past 20 years, China has vigorously promoted Juncao technology cooperation with
developing countries, which vividly mirrors its commitment to global poverty reduction and
sustainable development.
The successful promotion of the technology once again proves that Chinese development
cooperation programs, with a focus on development and livelihood improvement, aims to enhance
the welfare of the people. Considering developing countries’ respective resources, as well as
development level and demands, these programs bring technologies and advocate independent
development. To ensure lasting impact, China guarantees that every project achieves good results
and is effective, and helps countries localize project management.
Speaking of the assistance brought by Juncao technology cooperation to local development,
President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera said President Xi attaches
high importance on Chinese and global poverty reduction. He noted the people have always been
the beneficiaries of pragmatic cooperation in each field, and practices tell the importance of
international cooperation.
Development is meaningful only when it is inclusive and sustainable. Since the 18th National
Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, President Xi has proposed the vision of a
global community of shared future and the Belt and Road Initiative. China is committed to
pursuing the greater good and shared interests, and upholding the principles of sincerity, real
results, affinity, and good faith for developing relations with other developing countries and the
principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness for expanding relations with
neighboring countries. To this end, President Xi has taken advantage of many major international
occasions to announce a broad range of cooperation measures. These present China’s approach,
offer its vision, and contribute its strength to resolving global development issues and
implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Right now, the world is caught between a pandemic of the century and momentous changes never
seen in the last one hundred years. The journey to sustainable development would be a long and
arduous one.
At the critical moment, China’s sense of responsibility is even more important. Facing the
COVID-19 pandemic, the country has carried out its largest emergency humanitarian action since
the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, and fulfilled its promise of making
COVID-19 vaccines a global public good. It has made important contributions to building a global
immunity barrier.
China, being the first country to recover positive economic growth from the pandemic, has played
a vital role in safeguarding the secure and smooth operation of global industrial and supply chains,
and created more spillover effect for global recovery.
Besides, the country has also stepped up efforts with relevant parties to jointly construct the Silk
Road of Health, the Green Silk Road and the Digital Silk Road, as well as the Belt and Road
Initiative, to deliver confidence in and strength of development to the international society.
The COVID-19 pandemic is still ravaging the world, and global development is still imbalanced
and inadequate. Countries must join hands and inject new energy into global development with
more responsibilities and practical measures.
China will keep advancing global anti-pandemic cooperation, enhancing global development
cooperation, and shouldering international responsibilities, to offer as much assistance as it can for
developing countries to achieve sustainable development and jointly build a community with a
shared future for mankind together with the rest of the world.
