Chinese Premier calls for practical steps to implement consensus reached at New Delhi summit of G20

Beijing: Noting that the road to global economic recovery is still difficult, Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called on the G20 member nations to take more practical steps to implement the consensus reached at this year’s New Delhi summit of the forum to ensure development and prosperity.

Li, who deputised for Chinese President Xi Jinping at the virtual meeting presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, also urged the member countries to accord high priority to development cooperation and oppose the politicisation of development issues.

While many leaders who attended Wednesday’s virtual summit spoke on the Israel-Hamas conflict calling for extending timely humanitarian assistance, not allowing the violence to spread, and finding a long-term solution to the Palestine issue, Li reportedly focussed on development cooperation among the member countries of the G20.

Excerpts of Li’s speech reported by the state-run Xinhua news agency late Wednesday night did not refer to the Hamas-Israeli conflict as President Xi articulated China’s stand on the Middle East situation in his speech at the BRICS extraordinary virtual summit on the Palestine-Israeli issue held by South Africa on Tuesday.

In his speech Xi had called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, the release of all civilian captives, and the implementation of a two-state solution for lasting peace in the strife-torn region.

In his speech at Wednesday’s G20 virtual meeting, Li, ranked number two in the ruling hierarchy Communist Party of China (CPC), said the road to global economic recovery is still difficult and China stands ready to work with all parties to uphold the original aspiration of cooperation, respond to the call of the times, and forge ahead to create a better future for humanity.

Li called on G20 members to give high priority to development cooperation and oppose the politicisation of development issues and said more practical measures should be taken to implement the consensus reached at the 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi.

Li has also represented Xi at the New Delhi summit of the G20 held in September this year as the Chinese President chose to skip it.

China had strongly opposed the negotiations leading up to the G-20 Summit amid increasing tensions and divergent views over the Ukraine conflict.

Li told the G20 meeting that "it is necessary to coordinate and cooperate more closely, revitalise multilateralism, continue to strengthen macro policy cooperation, and pay more attention to the concerns of developing countries in the reform of the World Trade Organisation and the International Monetary Fund”.

Noting China has demonstrated through practical actions its firm determination to promote high-level opening up and to share development opportunities with the world, Li said China will continue to work with all parties in an open and inclusive manner to make a greater contribution to world economic recovery and global development and prosperity, Xinhua reported.