China committed to actively providing assistance to poorest countries: Zhao Lijian

BEIJING, Apr 16 (APP):Commenting on the new G20 debt relief agreement that suspends bilateral debt service payments by poor countries, a Chinese foreign ministry’s spokesperson Thursday said China was committed to actively providing all possible assistance to the poorest countries for poverty reduction and development.

“China has always upheld the concept of a community of human destiny and a correct view of justice and benefit, and is committed to actively providing all possible assistance to the poorest countries for the poverty reduction and development,” Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said during his briefing held here.

He informed that the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors held a video conference and agreed to suspend debt service payment for the world poorest countries from the May 01, until the end of this year.

It would freeze both principle repayments and interest payments and cover 77 countries including United Nations Least Developed Countries and International Development Association (IDA) borrowing countries, he added.

The spokesperson said in the next phase, China would help the poorest countries to focus their efforts on fighting the epidemic and supporting economic and social development based on the consensus reached by the G20 on debt issues.

“China will continue to actively participate in the international community’s anti-epidemic cooperation through other multilateral and bilateral channels,” he added.

He called on multilateral creditors and commercial creditors to take action as soon as possible, participate in the suspension of debt repayment initiatives for the poorest countries, and jointly help the countries concerned to overcome their difficulties.