By Huang Fang, Guo Xuan

"China has played a very important role in South-South cooperation and in broader development cooperation," said Nadia Rasheed, United Nations Population Fund representative to China, in an exclusive interview with China News Service recently.

Rasheed noted that China and UNFPA have maintained long-standing cooperation, implementing many "small yet smart" livelihood programs in developing countries.

Since 1979, UNFPA and China have maintained a partnership in the field of population and development, completing nine Country Programmes. Reflecting on China’s development trajectory, Rasheed said, “Its transformation has been very impressive, both in its scale and in its pace,” particularly in improving people’s health, well-being, education and skills.

She emphasized that China has consistently placed people at the center of its development strategy by focusing on health, education, skills, opportunities, and promoting gender equality.

“China has focused on long-term planning, having a vision for the future… that ensures continuity and translates policies into real progress for people,” she said. "These experiences can be really valuable."

With the support of the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, China and UNFPA have carried out cooperation in developing countries, implementing a number of "small yet smart" livelihood programs while sharing development experience and promoting mutual learning.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has now entered its final five-year stretch. At the same time, UNFPA is implementing its tenth five-year Country Programme in China, aligning with the country's 15th Five-Year Plan period.

“We are at a critical period,” Rasheed said, stressing that cooperation with China is key for UNFPA to strengthen global partnerships, promote cross-country collaboration, and facilitate experience sharing.

Looking ahead, Rasheed said UNFPA will deepen cooperation with China in three priority areas: addressing demographic change, advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality, and strengthening South-South and international cooperation.

“This is a critical period to accelerate action and renew commitments,” she said. “We must ensure that we reach the most vulnerable and that no one is left behind.”