In 2015, MOFCOM made great progress on foreign assistance reforms, paid much attention to the implementation of foreign assistance measures, and positively conducted humanitarian aid. It also supported the “silk and road” construction and international capacity and equipment manufacturing cooperation, provided help for other the developing countries to relieve poverty and improve people’s life within her ability. In the meantime, it consolidated and deepened China’s friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with other developing countries. A total of 293 projects, 270 batches of materials and 245 projects for technical assistance were made last year, 1,156 training seminars were held for the training of 30,000 talents of various kinds from 155 countries and organizations.
Firstly, further transforming government functions and comprehensively deepening reforms on foreign assistance management system. As the responsible department for foreign assistance, MOFCOM further transformed the government functions, and shifted its focus to macro policy planning, laws and regulations system construction, project establishment and evaluation. MOFCOM released and implemented a series of documents like the Measures on Accrediting Enterprise Qualification of Carrying out Foreign Assistance Projects by means of ministerial announcement to support reforms in 2015. It marks that the framework of regulations on foreign assistance has basically come into being and foreign assistance has entered the stage of legislation, regulation and standardization. MOFCOM has perfected the foreign assistance management system with clear orders of “decision, execution and supervision.” It also unified various foreign assistance procurement systems in accordance with Government Procurement Laws. Furthermore, it implemented quality responsibility and investment control responsibility, and established supervision and evaluation mechanism. At the same time, it also strengthened the prior-supervision, on- thespot supervision and after- event supervision, and genuinely improved both quality and efficiency of foreign assistance management.
Secondly，insisting on the right idea of morality and l and profit, and actively engaging in the global governance. MOFCOM made active efforts to support a series of major moves in foreign assistance like President Xi Jinping’s visit for the 70th Anniversary Summits of United Nations, the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the Paris Conference on Climate Change and G20 Summit in Turkish with record high cooperation in depth and width. It proposed to establish the funds for South-South Cooperation, offered project support, found industrial parks, dispatched senior experts among governments, engaged in building African disease control center and provided a batch of practical assistance measures that were highly appreciated. MOFCOM also signed MOU on development and cooperation with US and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and carried out three-party cooperation the recipient countries put forth, approve and lead.
Thirdly, comprehensively making use of foreign assistance to lead connectivity and enhance international cooperation in capacity. MOFCOM strengthened coordination and departmental collaboration, enriched the foreign assistance projects, focused on the “belt and road” initiative, the connectivity among major “corridors” and “ports” and the construction of the border countries’ trade and economic platforms. More than 40 major projects were carried out like the Pak-China optical fibre cable system, Maldives cross-sea bridge, Belarus and Cambodia trade and economic cooperation zones supportive projects, and 104 seminars were held. 76 projects in international capacity cooperation were undertaken and 740 special talents were trained, positively boosting the early harvests of connectivity cooperation.
Fourthly, showing the image of justice and righteousness, frequently highlighting the spirit of humanity.. MOFCOM established perfect working mechanism for the emergency foreign assistance, strengthened its publicizing and worked with the relevant departments to provide rounds of emergency humanitarian aids for 21 disaster stricken countries such as Pakistan, Mozambique, Vanuatu and Chile. It provideed countries like Nepal with quake reliefs and fuel oil, and continued to help Africa fight against Ebola and conduct reconstruction work, winning the applaud of the international community. We also actively engaged in solving regional refugees problems and have provided humanitarian aid of RMB280 million for Syria, Jordan and Yemen. In addition, MOFCOM conducted south-south cooperation on climate change and implemented a total of 210 relevant projects all year.
Fifthly, innovating and optimizing the modes of foreign assistance training. Innovation in four aspects was made in MOFCOM foreign assistance training: the first to propose to establish “south-south cooperation and development college”, the first to carry out the “higher academic degree education plan”, the first to send senior consultants to recipient countries, and the first to conduct the “going global” trainings overseas. It has enriched the modes of foreign assistance training, promoted China and other developing countries to learn from each other and to share the development fruits.
Sixthly, serving the business work and promoting the steady growth, adjusting the structure and developing the new advantages for foreign trade competition. MOFCOM has implemented 15 highway, railway and aviation projects, trained 12,000 talents for African industry and practically enhanced China-Africa cooperation in the highway, railway and aviation network and infrastructure.76 projects in transport, port, electric power and telecommunications were made, 13 batches of container inspection equipment were provided and 145 seminars on trade and investment were held. MOFCOM continued to provide 4 major cotton producing African countries (C4) of Benin, Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso with technical assistance and promote trade and investment facilitation.
