Perspectives on China's International Development Cooperation

Perspectives on China's International Development Cooperation

June 11, 2025

This survey examines how both domestic and international partners view China's International Development Cooperation (IDC). It aims to shed light on different perceptions of China’s IDC thereby contributing to mutual understanding of collective efforts towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The study, supported by the European Union, comes at a critical time. Global progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has stalled, if not regressed. Human development remains below the pre-2019 trend, and the international development landscape has been evolving, including new emerging actors, such as China, transitioning from aid recipients to active development partners.

The survey includes responses from both Chinese and international participants, with the majority based in China, aiming to represent a comprehensive cross-section of the IDC ecosystem.

Specifically, 135 responses were collected between July and September 2024, including 109 from Chinese respondents and 26 from international stakeholders. Among these, nine completed questionnaires were collected from representatives of developing economies and 17 from developed economies. Two in-depth interviews were also conducted. Due to the limited number of responses from developing countries in particular, related findings and comparison between Chinese and international responses, should be interpreted with caution.

Document Type
Regions and Countries
Sustainable Development Goals