The Chinese government may undertake “minor reasonable adjustments” in the roster of countries and projects receiving its foreign aid, Vice Minister of Commerce Fu Ziying said Tuesday (April 26).
“There will not be any big changes in China’s foreign aid policy in the short term, but there might be minor reasonable adjustments to the destinations of foreign aid and specific projects because the world is constantly changing,” Fu was quoted by People’s Daily Online.
The Chinese State Council’s Information Office released last week a white paper noting that China had spent 256.3 billion yuan ($39.3 billion) of cumulative foreign aid at the end of 2009.
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In Tuesday’s press briefing, Fu noted that China’s overseas aid is unconditional.
“China does not attach any political strings to its aid. Our foreign aid programs are based on the principles of equality, mutual benefit and mutual development,” Fu was quoted by Global Times as saying. “Many developing countries lack hospitals and roads. Our aid is concentrated on sectors where they need it most.”
Some other donors have slammed China’s approach in providing aid, saying it lacks transparency and may lead to corruption in aid-recipient countries.
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