Yi also noted that the global financial crisis that started in 2008 had posed serious challenges to countries around the world in their economic development, in particular industrial development. Developing countries, especially the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), were the hardest hit in this crisis.

There was an urgent need to revive the economy by developing industry. Therefore, the Chinese government "welcomes the timely and significant topic of this conference, which is green industry and opportunities for developing countries," he said.

He pointed out that in the field of development cooperation, China's proposition described as the old Chinese saying was that "teaching others how to fish is better than giving fish."

Countries should help and cooperate with each other to share their experience in developing economies, as a "collective response to global challenges," he said.

Yi also stressed at the conference that the Chinese government believes that "South-South cooperation opens up more resources and options for such cooperation and is a valued addition to South-North cooperation."

With regard to the issue of China in the South-South cooperation, he noted that at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2006, Chinese President Hu Jintao announced policy measures in 8 categories, and the committed measures had been implemented.

Moreover, he said, at the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Forum in early November 2009, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao unveiled 8 new measures for promoting China-Africa cooperation in the next three years.

China would cooperate with developing countries in many fields like climate change, science and technology, finance, trade, agriculture, healthcare, human capital development, education and people exchange, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 8, 2009)