Chinese Vice Finance Minister: China supports Jim Yong Kim’s reappointment

 

By Yang Mu and Jia Xingpeng from People’s Daily

 

Hailing Jim Yong Kim as a competent World Bank chief, Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao pledged China’s support to Kim’s reappointment as the bank’s president at a G20 press conference on Friday.

 

“Kim is a qualified president who has played a constructive role in promoting cooperation between the World Bank and China,” Zhu said. Given the tremendous efforts Kim has made in boosting global development and poverty alleviation, Zhu said the reappointment would be in line with the open, transparent and merit-based principles of the multilateral development institution.

 

China, which is a significant shareholder of the World Bank, has forged an exceptional partnership with the bank through fruits reaped from long-term cooperation, Zhu noted.

 

The Vice Finance Minister also pointed out that China accepted soft loans from the World Bank before, and is still using its hard loans, which has advanced the economic construction and reform of China.

 

“China will contribute to the World Bank’s lending window within its capacity,” Zhu said.