China announces 500-million-dollar humanitarian aid

Top leaders of the BRICS nations as well as Egypt, Mexico, Tajikistan, Guinea and Thailand have wrapped up their sessions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) and other leaders of BRICS countries pose for a group photo before the 2017 BRICS Summit in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, Sept. 4, 2017. (Photo: Xinhua)

In closing out the meetings, Xi Jinping has called on developing countries to work more closely with one another.

"In recent years, developing countries have been contributing very high proportion to global growth. Last year, we achieved 80-percent. We deserve our reputation as the main economic engine of the world. Emerging markets and other developing nations have great opportunities, but we also face more external challenges. So we should stand together, be confident, and create a sound environment for ourselves, therefore to seek more development and better contribute to the world economy."

President Xi Jinping has also called on developing countries to endorse globalization and open economies, saying this is a crucial step to achieve the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The UN agenda, which went into effect in 2015, includes 17 goals on issues such as health and poverty alleviation.

However, the UN is warning of some of the highest levels of humanitarinan need in history, with more than 140 million people in need of assistance.

The International Red Cross estimates it's going to require 23 billion US dollars this year to keep up with the humanitarian need.

So far only less than 7 billion US dollars has been raised.

As part of his speech on Tuesday, President Xi Jinping promised China will continue to help those in need as much as it can.

"I wish to announce here that China will provide additional 500 million dollars to the South–South Cooperation Fund so as to help other developing countries to cope with challenges such as famine, refugees, climate change and public health."

Chinese authorities set up the South–South Cooperation Fund when President Xi Jinping attended a UN summit in 2015.

The fund was seeded with 2 billion US dollars at that time.

Xi Jinping then announced plans to add another 1 billion US dollars to the fund during the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing in May.

In making the pledge for additional funding on Tuesday, Xi Jinping says the Chinese side also wants to impart its skills to the rest of the world.

"China will also make use of our newly established Center for International Knowledge on Development and other platforms to lay-out our experience and practices to help other countries develop. Over the coming year, we want to help train 40-thousand people from developing countries."

Chinese authorities have plans on the books to invest a combined 12-billion US dollars in the world's least developed countries by 2030.