A seminar focused on the China-proposed Global Development Initiative (GDI) was jointly held on Wednesday by the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations Office in Geneva and the China International Import Expo (CIIE) Bureau.

Representatives from international organizations, diplomatic missions in Geneva and global businesses attending the event praised China's continued efforts to open up to the world and promote shared development.

Ambassador Chen Xu, China's permanent representative to the UN Office in Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, said that since its launch in 2021, the GDI has taken root on Geneva's multilateral platforms, with growing consensus and expanding cooperation networks.

The CIIE, as a global public good, has become an important practice for China to deepen economic and trade cooperation with other developing countries, Chen said. "It demonstrates China's commitment to global development cooperation," he added.

According to official data, the CIIE has been held seven consecutive times since its inception in 2018, attracting participation from more than 180 countries, regions, and international organizations.

Luz Maria de la Mora, director of the Division on International Trade and Commodities at UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said she attended the CIIE in 2019 and witnessed "how China opens its doors to the world and how trade can be a source of economic opportunities for all."

High-level representatives from international organizations expressed their support for the CIIE and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They also voiced their readiness to strengthen cooperation with China to promote inclusive economic globalization that benefits all.

The ambassadors of Pakistan, Cambodia, Peru, and other members of the Group of Friends of the GDI expressed their appreciation for China and the CIIE, calling the expo an important platform for advancing the initiative.