As part of the high-quality Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) joint construction efforts, China’s “small yet beautiful” foreign aid projects have proven to be practical, popular, low-cost, and sustainable. These initiatives have taken root across the globe—particularly in the Global South—becoming a shining example of China’s international development cooperation.
China tailors its assistance to the unique needs of recipient countries, supporting sectors such as agriculture, industry, and healthcare.
In Lesotho, China helped establish a 10-square-meter straw mushroom cultivation site, enabling land-scarce farmers to produce 1.2 tons of fresh mushrooms annually, securing their livelihoods. Following the introduction of hybrid rice from China, Burkina Faso significantly increased its grain output, virtually achieving “zero rice imports.” In Madagascar, China funded the construction of a 19-kilometer highway connecting the country’s main egg-producing regions, greatly improving transport conditions for local farmers and reducing egg breakage rates. Locals affectionately refer to it as the “Egg Road.”
China has also played a key role in global malaria prevention, distributing hundreds of millions of doses of artemisinin-based medicine, benefiting an estimated 240 million people in sub-Saharan Africa alone.
In Tanzania, a China-supported broadband project has reduced telephone charges by 58% and internet fees by 75%. The China-Africa Satellite Remote Sensing Application Cooperation Center is helping boost disaster prevention, mitigation capabilities, and climate change resilience through advanced digital technologies. China has also assisted in developing digital infrastructure projects in 15 countries and international organizations, including Pakistan, Laos, and Egypt, covering websites, e-government platforms, and intelligent transportation systems.
New Progress in “Small and Beautiful” Projects by 2025
China is focusing on advancing scientific and technological standards while expanding into fields such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence, space exploration, and the blue economy. Today, graduates from Luban Workshops can be found across various African countries. By 2025, China’s National International Development Cooperation Agency plans to implement more than 2,000 foreign aid training programs, training over 50,000 individuals—contributing to the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 goals.
Looking ahead, China intends to center its projects around three major global initiatives, offering one million training opportunities to countries in the Global South. At present, China collaborates with over 20 international organizations, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), within structured funding frameworks. Through these efforts, China aims to advance global development initiatives and inject fresh momentum into achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Source: Cai -Hashim, Wang Haiman – China Media Group.