CIDCA chairman visits France and OECD headquarters

Wang Xiaotao, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), led a delegation to France and the headquarters of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Sept 3.

They met with Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, secretary of state at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Rémy Rioux, director-general of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and Jeffrey Schlagenhauf, deputy secretary-general of the OECD, to exchange views on strengthening international development cooperation.

Wang Xiaotao meets with Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, secretary of state at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France. [photo/cidca.gov.cn]

Wang said that the main purpose of the visit was to further expand dialogue and exchanges between China and France and the OECD in the field of development cooperation, deepen understanding, learn from each other, enhance mutual trust, and explore cooperation potential.

Wang said that China's foreign aid has gone through nearly 70 years of history and gradually formed policies and models with Chinese characteristics. Despite the tremendous achievements in China's economic and social development, it is still a developing country. China's foreign aid still falls into the scope of South-South cooperation. The Chinese side has a positive attitude towards the exchanges and cooperation in the international development field with France and the OECD. China is willing to work together with France and the OECD to make new contributions to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the building of a community of shared destiny for mankind.

Wang Xiaotao meets with Rémy Rioux, director-general of the Agence Française de Développement. [photo/cidca.gov.cn]

France and the OECD warmly welcomed Wang and highly appreciated China's important role in the field of international development cooperation. The French side stated that France is willing to actively participate in the construction of the Belt and Road, explore cooperation in the areas of international development supervision and evaluation, global climate change and protection of biodiversity, and inject new impetus into Sino-French relations.

The OECD said that it attaches great importance to communication with China in the field of international development, and is willing to conduct exchanges and mutual learning with China in the areas of international development cooperation policy practices and South-South cooperation.

Wang Xiaotao meets with Jeffrey Schlagenhauf, deputy secretary-general of the OECD. [photo/cidca.gov.cn]