Locations
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in China, James George, delivered opening remarks virtually at the Zhuanghe launch ceremony under the Duxiaoman Project held in Liaoning, China.
Honorable guests, friends and colleagues,
Good morning,
I regret not being able to join you all in person in Zhuanghe today.
However, I am truly delighted to extend my sincere gratitude on behalf of UNDP China to all those gathered here today for the Zhuanghe Project Launch Ceremony.
Thank you for your presence and support.
In recent years, we have witnessed the transformative power of digital technologies, reshaping our societies and economies, including how we live, govern, and develop.
When harnessed effectively, these digital advancements offer us a unique opportunity to accelerate progress towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Recognizing the rapid digital change and the growth of the gig economy, UNDP launched its first digital strategy in2019, followed by its second and ongoing Digital Strategy in 2022 (2022-2025).
Building on a long history of providing project-level digital support for partners, these strategies aim to support countries in building inclusive, ethical, and sustainable digital economies and societies.
At UNDP, we adopt a whole-of-society approach, collaborating with governments, local stakeholders, the private sector, and digital innovators to achieve our shared goals.
We believe digitalization can be a catalyst for realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
An example of this is Digital X, which is UNDP’s Partnerships for Scale Programme, connecting innovative digital solutions with the real-world needs of governments in 170 countries. The Digital X Solutions Catalogue currently includes 110+ ready-to-scale solutions – like AI tools to fight malaria, satellites to reduce wildfires, and drones to reduce deforestation. These solutions are operating in over 190 countries, supporting 390 million people.
In China, we have been focusing on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which are vital to inclusive and sustainable development.
To empower these businesses, particularly in rural areas, and with a special focus on women-owned enterprises, UNDP partnered with CICETE and Duxiaoman in 2022 to launch an innovative project that introduced cutting-edge digital tools, helping to bridge the critical financing gap.
"Together, we can strive to ensure that no one is left behind in this transformative process and create a world in which digitalization is an empowering force for people and planet."
We have witnessed many remarkable achievements in the pilot areas in Fujian, Chongqing, Shandong, and Shaanxi.
For instance, with the technical support from our project, the government of Gutian County was able to set up a digital platform, the Digital Brain, enabling partner financial institutions to issue an amount of 234 million RMB in credit loans to 830 households, most of which are farmers’ cooperatives, MSMEs, women-owned businesses, and smallholder farmers;
Additionally, in Youyang County, Chongqing, 16 financial institutions registered on the agricultural digital platform that we supported, enabling 7.66 million RMB in credit loans to 376 MSMEs and farmers' cooperatives since its launch in October 2023.
Today, I am thrilled to welcome our newest project area: Zhuanghe in Dalian City.
Over the next two years, we look forward to partnering with the Zhuanghe government and local stakeholders, leveraging global development experiences, professional resources, and innovative tools to drive digitalization and the green transition of the local agricultural industry.
We are committed to accelerating the sustainable development of local farmers and MSMEs, including women and youth.
Together, we can strive to ensure that no one is left behind in this transformative process and create a world in which digitalization is an empowering force for people and planet.
In closing, I would like to once again thank everyone who has supported today's launch ceremony.
I sincerely hope to visit Zhuanghe in the near future.
Thank you very much, and 谢谢!
