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Bildet viser Kinas president Xi Jinping foran FN-logoen i 2015
Foto: John Taggart/Reuters/NTB Scanpix

Research project

China and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

What are Chinese priorities in relation to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and how do Chinese actors promote their interests and prospects for international cooperation?

Themes

  • International economics
  • Economic growth
  • Development policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Peace operations
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • Climate
  • Human rights
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • AU

Events

China sees itself as both a major power and a developing country that is eager to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals – domestically and internationally. In this project, we focus on international engagements, and study, in particular, Chinese contributions and actors within development aid and assistance, peace operations, health and education and the environment. We look at this in connection to China’s overall and internationally oriented sustainability- and development politics, and we exemplify using specific country cases and conflicts where Chinese actors play important roles.

The responsible researchers are all affiliated to Norwegian research institutions, but the project includes a number of activities where researchers from China, various African countries and other international colleagues and professionals contribute with their expertise from China- and development related studies. In the final stages of the project, we discuss China’s sustainability politics with consideration to Norwegian interests and development policy traditions.

Project Manager

Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr
Senior Research Fellow

Participants

Kari M. Osland
Director
Cedric H. de Coning
Research Professor

Articles

Articles
News
Articles
News

China from careful participant to budding development partner

While the rest of the world is shutting down China is restarting its machinery after months of strict infection measures. China’s role as a development actor may grow.

  • Development policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia

New publications

Publications
Publications
Report

China in the Sustainable Development Agenda: Key Institutions for International Engagement

China has a large and expansive network of actors working on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) activities. This report maps the foremost key Chinese actors and institutions with an orientation towards international activities.

  • Development policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Development policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
Publications
Publications
Report

China’s role in the Sustainable Development Agenda: Considerations for Norway

China’s role as an international development actor is growing, with real and increasing potential to impact Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). On some issues, Chinese initiatives align well with Norwegian interests, but China’s approach to development also diverges on some key practices and norms. While Chinese international efforts meet mixed reactions, Norway should stake out its own course for when and how to engage with China over SDGs.

  • Development policy
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Development policy
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
Publications
Publications
Report
Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr, Gørild Heggelund

China in the Sustainable Development Agenda: Key environmental issues and responses

China is dealing with very serious pollution levels and the unsustainable use of many natural resources. Environmental issues, concerning both air, ground, and ocean, have gained increasing recognition in Chinese domestic politics, and China is stepping into more active roles in international environmental governance. By committing to international agreements but insisting on differentiated responsibilities and voluntary contributions, China is taking something of a middle position between developing countries and many higher-income states.

  • Development policy
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia
  • Climate
  • Energy
  • Oceans
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Development policy
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia
  • Climate
  • Energy
  • Oceans
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
Publications
Publications
Report

China in the Sustainable Development Agenda: Contributions to health and education

China is scaling up its investments in health and education, making significant contributions to the UN 2030 Agenda and related Sustainable Development Goals. Domestically, China is working to modernize its entire health care system, improve mandatory and additional education, and foster elite academic institutions. Internationally, China is increasing both its bilateral and multilateral support. Looking beyond 2020, the coronavirus crisis is not likely to change this overall trajectory, but China may increase its investment in both domestic and international health and disease prevention systems.

  • Development policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia
  • Humanitarian issues
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Development policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia
  • Humanitarian issues
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
Publications
Publications
Report

From careful participant to budding partner: China in the Sustainable Development Agenda

China is an increasingly active player in the Sustainable Development Agenda. It has staked out a national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) plan that stresses comprehensive development with serious consideration to environmental issues. Internationally, China’s development role is growing, manifested through increasing trade, aid, and investment and a stronger position within many international organizations. China uses SDG-related activities to promote and align its domestic and international development interests.

  • Development policy
  • Asia
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Development policy
  • Asia
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
Publications
Publications
Report

China's Evolving Approach to UN Peacekeeping in Africa

China’s new, assertive role in UN peacekeeping, especially in Africa, represents a significant shift in Beijing’s peace and security posture that is not yet fully reflected in official discourse and rhetoric, but that reflects China’s new confidence with its global power status. Every significant adaptation in its peacekeeping policy has reflected an important shift in the country’s practical foreign and security policy. Tracing and tracking China’s peacekeeping policy and practice is thus a useful proxy for analysing the evolution of its peace and security considerations. In this In this report Senior Research Fellows Kari Osland and Cedric de Coning consider the medium- to long-term trajectory of China’s peace and security practices by analysing its recent activity in Africa, focusing on how China has used its contributions to the UN peacekeeping missions in Mali (MINUSMA) and South Sudan (UNMISS).

  • Security policy
  • Diplomacy
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Peace operations
  • Governance
  • United Nations
  • Security policy
  • Diplomacy
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Peace operations
  • Governance
  • United Nations

Themes

  • International economics
  • Economic growth
  • Development policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Peace operations
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Fragile states
  • Climate
  • Human rights
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • AU

Project Manager

Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr
Senior Research Fellow

Events

Participants

Kari M. Osland
Director
Cedric H. de Coning
Research Professor