Statement of Vice Minister YU Jiadong at the 110th Session of the International Labour Conference
2022-06-23 00:47

June 6, 2022

Mr. President,

Director-General Ryder,

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

The Chinese government appreciates the focus of this year’s Director-General report on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the proposed integrated strategy for such countries, and would like to thank Director-General Ryder for his important contributions to leading the International Labour Organization (ILO) in bringing together tripartite constituents in an effort to address the challenges in the world of work over the past 10 years.

As noted in the report, the COVID-19 pandemic has further reversed previous progress scored in poverty reduction, employment and other social undertakingsin LDCs. Accelerating the economic and social development of developing countries, especially the LDCs, is an inherent requirement for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda anda necessary pathway to achieve common prosperity of the world.

President Xi Jinping put forwardtheGlobal Development Initiative that advocates commitment to development as a priority, a people-centered approach, benefits for all, innovation-driven development, harmony bewteen mankind and nature, and to results-oriented actions. The Chinese government would like to call for increased support to the least developed countries. In this regard, I would like to make three suggestions. First, we should improve people’s livelihoods through development and promote the structural transformation outlined in the Doha Programme of Action. The LDCs should take economic development, poverty reduction and job creation as their most urgent and important tasks, and actively seek sustainable development paths suited to each country’s national conditions and strengths. We should prioritize employmentand strengthen skills training to ensure decent work for all. Second, we should promote international cooperation for win-win development. Countries around the world, especially developed countries, should effectively honor their commitments to increasing official development assistance to the least developed countries on the basis of respect for their autonomy. The ILO should give full play to its professional advantages, provide targeted technical support to the least developed countries, and improve resource planning in favor of these countries. Third, we should push for changes in global governance, support members in implementing the ILO Centennary Declaration and the Call to Action for a Human-Centered Recovery, accelerate the reform of the international labour governance system, and increase the representation and voice of developing countries. We should promote the active participation of social partners in labour governanceand protect the fundamental rights of workers.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

China is the largest developing country in the world. The Chinese government has always adhered to the people-centered development philosophy and steadfastly followed the path of common prosperity. We have implemented the employment-first policywith the employed population reaching about 747 million in China in 2021. We have built the world’s largest social security system that basically covers all legally eligible personnel. By 2020, all 98.99 million rural poor under the current standards in China were lifted out of poverty.

While striving to achieve its own development, China is committed to doing its best to help other developing countries achieve common development.In the future, China will continue to support the social development of LDCs. We are ready to work together with tripartite constituents of all countries and the ILO to implement the 2030 Agenda and eliminate the development deficitsso as to truly “leave no one behind”.

Thank you.