President Xi Jinping on Thursday underlined the need for the international community to refocus on the development issue, and stressed that it is necessary to increase the representation and voice of developing countries in global governance and ensure they can achieve better development.

Xi made the remarks in a speech at the meeting of the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue in Johannesburg.

"Development embodies our people's aspiration for a better life. It is the top priority for developing countries and a timeless theme for humanity," Xi said.

As the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is due for a midterm review this year, the Chinese president expressed his concern over the slow delivery of most of the Sustainable Development Goals, saying that global development faces formidable challenges.

It is important to uphold true multilateralism, forge a global development partnership, and create a secure and stable international environment for shared development, he added.

Noting that China has been and always will remain a member of the family of developing countries, Xi said that China has always stood in solidarity with fellow developing countries through thick and thin.

"I proposed the Global Development Initiative precisely for the purpose of calling on the world to stay focused on development and lending impetus to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda," Xi said.

China has set up a Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund with total funding of $4 billion, and Chinese financial institutions will soon set up a special $10-billion fund dedicated to the implementation of the GDI, he said.

Noting that China has a results-oriented approach and has deepened its practical cooperation, Xi said that from Asia to Africa, and from Pacific island countries to the Caribbean, over 200 cooperation projects have come to fruition, and cooperation mechanisms are growing in areas such as poverty reduction, education and health.

He said that the GDI prioritizes green development, a new type of industrialization, the digital economy and some other key fields, and promotes a Partnership on New Industrial Revolution in order to boost high-quality development.

To facilitate food security, China has launched a China-FAO South-South Cooperation Trust Fund, implemented the Food Production Enhancement Action, and provided food assistance to and shared agricultural technology with many countries.

Saying that China is a friend that Africa can count on, Xi stated that over the past decade, China has provided a large amount of development assistance to Africa and helped to build more than 6,000 kilometers of railways, over 6,000 kilometers of highways and 80-plus large power facilities on the continent.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa chaired the meeting. Participants in the meeting included leaders of other BRICS countries, more than 60 leaders and representatives of African countries, emerging markets and developing nations, and heads of international organizations.