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On May 18, 2013, the "Daily Mail" of Vanuatu published an article by Ambassador She Bo Hua titled: "The Group of 77 and China: A Symbol of Solidarity Among Developing Countries." In light of the recent visit of the Prime Minister of Vanuatu to Fiji to attend the high-level seminar of the Group of 77, Ambassador She, drawing on his years of experience working with the United Nations, provided the public of Vanuatu with a detailed introduction to the origins of the Group of 77, the relationship between China and the Group of 77, and the important position and role of the Group of 77 and China in current international affairs. The full text is as follows:
The "Daily Mail" reported that on May 7, Vanuatu's Prime Minister, Carcasses, attended the high-level meeting of prominent figures from the Southern countries of the Group of 77 in Fiji. This inevitably reminded me of the development history of the Group of 77. From 2001 to 2006, as a counselor at the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, I had close working relations with the Group of 77.
The Group of 77 was established in 1964. At the first United Nations Conference on Trade and Development held in June of that year, developed and developing countries had sharp disagreements on several major issues. Faced with the negotiation situation of a strong North and a weak South, the 77 developing countries united to issue the "Group of 77 Joint Declaration," calling for the establishment of a just new international economic order, thus giving rise to the Group of 77. In 1967, the first ministerial meeting of the Group of 77 was held in Algeria, where the organization's charter was adopted. The charter emphasized that the Group of 77 is an important organization for developing countries within the United Nations, with the main task of articulating the positions of developing countries, safeguarding their interests, and strengthening their unity.
The establishment of the Group of 77 reflects the historical trend of developing countries uniting to safeguard their own interests. In April 1974, the sixth special session of the General Assembly adopted the "Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order" and the "Program of Action" drafted by the Group of 77, which outlined a series of important principles for establishing a new international economic order: all countries have equal rights to participate in solving world economic issues, and have the right to exercise permanent sovereignty over their natural resources and all domestic economic activities; developing countries have the right to establish organizations of producing countries for raw materials and primary products, etc. The adoption of the "Declaration" and the "Program of Action" was a milestone for the Group of 77, as it marked the first time that developing countries negotiated as a group and ultimately achieved significant results. The success of this meeting greatly encouraged the morale of developing countries and strengthened their confidence in safeguarding their own interests.
Since its establishment in the 1960s, the activities of the Group of 77 have gradually expanded from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in Geneva to the United Nations headquarters in New York and other UN agencies in Vienna, Nairobi, Paris, Rome, and beyond. The issues it focuses on have also expanded from the economic and trade fields to a wide range of areas including environment, climate change, social development, science and technology, culture, women, children, housing, poverty eradication, finance, and UN reform. The active presence and united strength of the Group of 77 can be seen in multilateral forums such as the United Nations General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, UNESCO, the Beijing World Conference on Women, the Doha Round negotiations, the Rio Earth Summit, Copenhagen, Cancun, and other climate change conferences.
From the mid-1960s to the present, the united strength of the Group of 77 has been effective: it has utilized the majority advantage formed by the equal voting system of Third World countries in the United Nations to promote the adoption of several international documents that are relatively fair and beneficial to developing countries, including several legally binding conventions and decisions; it has pushed the United Nations to establish some new institutions or mechanisms, such as the Commission on Sustainable Development; and it has implemented many programs that contribute to the economic and social development of weaker countries, such as the United Nations "Millennium Development Goals" (MDG).
According to consultations, the presidency of the Group of 77 is rotated among member countries from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, with each term lasting one year. For example, the chair in 2011 was Argentina from Latin America, in 2012 it was Algeria from Africa, and in 2013 it was Fiji from Asia. The ministerial meeting of the Group of 77 is the highest decision-making body of the organization. Its main publication is the "Group of 77 Newsletter." As of May 2013, the Group of 77 has officially reached 134 member countries.
Since China resumed its legitimate seat in the United Nations in 1972, it has always stood with developing countries and actively supported the Group of 77. In April 1974, then Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping, while attending the sixth special session of the General Assembly, articulated the important theory of the "Three Worlds" on behalf of the Chinese government, pointing out that as a developing country in the "Third World," it is an important force in promoting the establishment of a just and reasonable new international political and economic order, and that China supports all reasonable claims and demands made by the Group of 77 in the United Nations.
In June 1992, at the first Rio Earth Summit held by the United Nations, the Chinese delegation strengthened communication and close cooperation with the Group of 77, forming the cooperation model of "Group of 77 and China" (G77+CHINA), which greatly enhanced the negotiating power of developing countries, leading to the final adoption of outcome documents such as the "Framework Convention on Climate Change," the "Rio Declaration on Environment and Development," and the "Agenda 21." It is worth noting that it was due to the efforts and persistence of the "Group of 77 and China" that the conference agreed to include the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" in the "Framework Convention on Climate Change." According to this principle, when determining measures to mitigate or adapt to climate change, the international community must consider the differences in economic development levels, historical responsibilities, and current per capita emissions among countries. Developed countries should take the lead in reducing emissions and provide financial and technological support to developing countries; developing countries, with the support of technology and funds from developed countries, should take measures to mitigate or adapt to climate change. The convention also emphasizes that the special circumstances and needs of the least developed countries and developing countries most vulnerable to environmental damage should be given priority consideration.
Since the 1992 Earth Summit, China has sent high-level delegations to participate in the "Group of 77 and China" ministerial meetings every year. During each year's General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, Commission on Sustainable Development, Commission on the Status of Women, as well as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the International Labour Organization meetings, the Chinese delegation closely communicates with the Group of 77, coordinates positions, and often speaks as the "Group of 77 and China" (G77+CHINA GROUP), proposing draft resolutions and participating in document negotiations. In June 2012, the "Group of 77 and China" worked together at the United Nations Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development to fully safeguard the interests of developing countries, promoting the adoption of a comprehensive, positive, and balanced outcome document, reaffirming the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities," and initiating the process of formulating sustainable development goals, sending a positive, clear, and strong signal for revitalizing international cooperation on sustainable development and injecting new vitality into the global sustainable development process. All of this indicates that the "Group of 77 and China" has become an important force in the United Nations, symbolizing the unity and strength of developing countries.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has highly praised the important role of the Group of 77 and China in the United Nations. He pointed out that the Group of 77 and China have made sustained efforts to eliminate poverty and address many related issues, confirming the potential of developing countries in achieving sustainable, inclusive, and equitable economic development, and hopes that the "Group of 77 and China" can play a positive role in the post-2015 development agenda and the setting of sustainable development goals, as well as in UN reform.
Currently, the ongoing international financial crisis and the slow growth of the world economy, which is becoming a long-term trend, are the biggest real issues facing the international community. Problems such as poverty, disease, war, and disasters pose severe challenges to all countries, especially developing countries. At the same time, the overall strength and international status of developing countries are gradually rising, releasing significant development potential. In this context, how should the Group of 77 face new opportunities and challenges in the United Nations?
Formulating the post-2015 development agenda is crucial for the future direction of international development cooperation and is a key focus of international development cooperation in the current and coming period. The Group of 77 should base its efforts on the Millennium Development Goals, with the core objective of achieving development and eradicating poverty, and conduct an open, transparent, and democratic intergovernmental consultation process within the framework of the United Nations, with member countries playing a leading role, while strengthening global development partnerships and leveraging the positive roles of civil society, the private sector, and other parties.
2013 is a key year for the comprehensive implementation of the outcomes of "Rio+20." The Group of 77 should urge the international community to demonstrate political will, effectively fulfill commitments in sustainable development financing, execution methods, and more, pay more attention to the impact of climate change on small island nations, and promote sustainable development. At the same time, it should also work well in various fields such as economic and social development to safeguard the overall interests of developing countries.
Unity and cooperation are the valuable traditions of the Group of 77 and the source of its strength. Regardless of how the international situation changes, the deep friendship and common beliefs among developing countries remain unbreakable. The Group of 77 should strengthen South-South cooperation based on equality, mutual benefit, and mutual respect, promote common development; enhance coordination and cooperation in important multilateral negotiations, strive to overcome differences, and maintain unity.
Fiji is the first country among the South Pacific island nations to hold the presidency of the Group of 77. I believe that under the leadership of Prime Minister Bainimarama and the Fijian government, the "Group of 77 and China" will continue to leverage the advantages of the group, raise a strong voice, promote North-South dialogue, strengthen South-South cooperation, maintain world peace, and promote common development.