Global Times: How China-PICs climate cooperation implements GGI to bridge North-South development gap

Global Times: China, via climate cooperation with Pacific islands, advances green growth, resilience, and shared future vision.

Beijing, China, Sept. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A refreshing early autumn breeze arrives as expected in September.

Inside a classroom in Liaocheng, East China's Shandong Province, a miniature "United Nations" has taken shape. From Samoa in the South Pacific, to South Africa at the southern tip of Africa, and all the way to Cuba in the Caribbean, participants have gathered across oceans and mountains - each bringing with them questions and hopes about development in their own countries. Here, they are meeting with Chinese experts and professors, in pursuit of a shared goal: How to make their homelands safer and their people happier through green development.

This scene took place at the "seminar on climate change action and green industry development capacity," launched on September 2 in Liaocheng by the China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Action Cooperation Center.

"This training truly puts the people-centered philosophy into practice," said Fang Zengfu, deputy Party secretary of Liaocheng University and director of the China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Action Cooperation Center, in an interview with the Global Times. "Each course is designed to be both practical and scalable, so that participants can apply what they've learned back home."

The previous day, on the afternoon of September 1, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Plus meeting was held in Tianjin. Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the meeting and delivered an important statement titled "Pooling the Strength of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to Improve Global Governance."

To this end, Xi proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), advocating a people-centered approach. He emphasized, the global governance system should be reformed and improved to ensure that the people of every nation are the actors in and beneficiaries of global governance, so as to better tackle the common challenges for mankind, better narrow the North-South gap, and better safeguard the common interests of all countries, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Recently, the Global Times interviewed some participants of the Liaocheng workshop, as well as officials from the cooperation center, to learn how knowledge sharing and policy innovation are being promoted through cooperation. Together, they are enhancing resilience to climate vulnerabilities and exploring new paths for poverty alleviation and green transformation.

As stated in the fifth volume of the book Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, in the article "Work for a just and equitable global governance system,Xi noted that "China stands ready to deepen international cooperation with all sides in green infrastructure, green energy, green mining, and green transport, and will provide support to developing countries to the best of its ability."

'We hope you truly hear our needs'

Several months prior, in preparation for the workshop and to better understand the needs of climate-vulnerable PICs, Chen Dezheng, executive deputy director of the cooperation center, and several colleagues traveled to the South Pacific for field research.

Before the trip, Chen received a special gift from Kiribati's Ambassador to China, David Teaabo - a traditional necklace made of shells. This is a culturally significant token symbolizing friendship and trust. This necklace represents the trust of the people of Kiribati in China, said the ambassador solemnly. "We hope you can truly hear our needs."

The visit was intensive yet fruitful. Carrying this symbol of trust, the team visited grassroots communities in Kiribati and entered the homes of local villagers. The necklace often served as a conversation starter. Locals spoke about how seawater intrusion had swallowed their roads, and how rainfall was insufficient for drinking.

The experts also held face-to-face discussions with the Office of the President in Kiribati, meteorological bureau, fisheries, and environmental departments, exploring topics such as coastal restoration and preventing seawater encroachment on farmland. Many coastal villages have witnessed first-hand the erosion caused by rising sea levels. They also met with Chinese companies operating locally to better understand how solar power and green infrastructure could take root in other island nations.

The needs they heard were direct and specific: Seawalls to protect against natural disasters, clean fresh water, and accessible green agriculture and renewable energy technologies. The team recorded these issues on-site and returned with a concrete list of cooperation proposals. "We hope every suggestion leads to real outcomes," Chen said. "Not just empty talk, but improvements that truly enhance people's lives."

With the same goal in mind, Tangare Takarawa, the biodiversity project coordinator at Kiribati's Ministry of Environment, Lands, and Agricultural Development, arrived in China in early September.

"I am also eager to learn about China's advancements and progress in Green Industry development," she told the Global Times.

"China's most relevant policies are those that blend climate actions with sustainable development," Takarawa noted. "These initiatives can help Kiribati address climate change impacts while fostering economic growth."

The curriculum began with topics such as "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" and its global relevance, and quickly moved on to practical tools most needed by island nations: Climate risk assessment, carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), carbon tariffs, the impact of unilateral measures, and global governance.

The participants also stepped outside the classroom for field trips - visiting new energy bus production lines, floating photovoltaic plants, zero-carbon communities, and marine ranches.

The roster of attendees reflected a wide range of expertise. Among them were frontline climate professionals from small island states - such as an engineer from Samoa's land transport authority, a disaster management staffer from Fiji, and a fisheries official from the Solomon Islands - as well as senior energy and environmental officials from countries across Global South countries, including Algeria, South Africa, Egypt, and Cuba.

'A localized governance team that cannot be taken away'

Amid the azure waves of the Pacific and the fragile coastlines of island nations, a heartwarming story of climate collaboration is unfolding across mountains and seas.

Since igniting the first spark of cooperation on April 28, 2022, the China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Change Cooperation Center - China's first multilateral platform for climate change - has, guided by the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, grown over three years into a "climate partner" safeguarding island nations. With a total investment exceeding 10 million yuan, the center has woven scientific research, policy dialogue, and human-centric care into every step of addressing climate challenges.

According to Chen, to precisely meet the unique needs of PICs, the center has assembled 10 professional teams: From researchers studying carbon capture technology to experts advising on climate legislation; from engineers building disaster early-warning systems to technicians promoting solar and wind energy, and agricultural specialists teaching farmers sustainable planting techniques.

Over the past three years, cooperation projects have taken root. For instance, in August 2023, the center signed an agreement with the Tonga-China Friendship Association to provide 10 sets of household photovoltaic power systems to local families, according to Chen.

In March 2025, when the systems began operating under the sun, Tongan residents were delighted to find they could save nearly 400 yuan monthly on electricity bills and reduce diesel consumption by 60 liters. This green energy from China illuminated small moments of joy in everyday life, Chen told the Global Times.

In March, during a visit to the center in Shandong, Vice President Aren Palik of the Federated States of Micronesia sincerely expressed, "We are your friend and we look forward to greater and deeper cooperation and engagement with the People's Republic of China," Chen said.

In the center's training classrooms, teachers embody the dedication of "teaching people how to fish." Since 2022, five climate change training sessions have been held, teaching over 150 participants from 11 PICs, the Global Times learned from the center.

Meanwhile, specialized scholarships have attracted 30 island nation students to study in China. Over the next three years, the center plans to support 100 young people from these island nations to pursue environmental science and climate policy studies in China, fostering a "localized governance team that cannot be taken away" from their respective countries.

Actions reflect the responsibility of a major power

In his speech at the Leaders Meeting on Climate and the Just Transition co-hosted by the UN and COP30 host Brazilian government in April, President Xi stated, "Harmony between man and nature is a defining feature of Chinese modernization, and China is a steadfast actor and major contributor in promoting global green development."

"Since I announced China's goals for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality five years ago, we have built the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, as well as the largest and most complete new energy industrial chain," he said, adding that China also leads the world in the speed and scale of "greening," contributing a quarter of the world's newly-added area of afforestation.

"However the world may change, China will not slow down its climate actions, will not reduce its support for international cooperation, and will not cease its efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind," Xi emphasized.

On a global scale, China's emission reduction efforts in the context of carbon neutrality have made significant contributions to the world. The Chinese government is steadfastly implementing its national climate change strategy, clearly outlining the "dual carbon" goals - peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060 - with a clear roadmap to promote a comprehensive green transformation of its economy and society.

In international cooperation, China is an active promoter of multilateral climate efforts. On one hand, China steadfastly upholds the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, ensuring steady progress in global climate governance. On the other hand, China provides practical support to other developing countries through green technology transfers, green investments, and aid projects.

Takarawa told the Global Times that, unlike aid typically provided by traditional partners, China's cooperation with Kiribati is more tangible and visible, particularly in large-scale infrastructure and community projects that directly improve people's daily lives.

If the vision of establishing a fairer, more equitable, and people-centered global governance system can be realized, it could "offer a pathway for Kiribati and other small islands nations to navigate the challenges of the 21st century and secure a more sustainable and equitable future," she said expectantly.

Source: Global Times:
Company: Global Times
Contact Person: Anna Li
Email: editor@globaltimes.com.cn
Website: https://globaltimes.cn
City: Beijing
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