Keynote Speech at the International Volunteer Service Exchange Conference

12 Oct 2015

Respected officials and guests,

Good Afternoon!

I am delighted to attend this year’s International Volunteer Service Exchange Conference. In my

speech, I will give you an introduction of the development of the overseas volunteer service projects

for Chinese youths.

1.An overview of overseas service of Chinese youth volunteers

The work which centered on overseas volunteer service of Chinese youth started in 2002, with 13

years of history. There are 6 landmark achievements:

1) In May 2002, the Central Commission of China Communist Youth League and the Chinese Youth

Volunteers Association launched the overseas volunteer service programmes for Chinese youth

volunteers, sponsoring 5 youth volunteers to provide services in Laos. It marks the official start of

Chinese youth volunteers taking part in services overseas.

2) In February 2005, we sent 18 Chinese divers to the Tsunami–hit area in Thailand to assist in waste

salvage. It was the first time that China sent youth volunteers to be involved in international aid. It

further expanded horizon for Chinese overseas volunteer service and offered valuable experiences for

Chinese youth volunteers in overseas emergency response.

3) In August 2005, 12 Chinese youth volunteers went to Africa for the first time, marking the

expansion of overseas volunteer services of Chinese youth to both Africa and Asia;

4) In October 2015, the Central Commission of China Communist Youth League and the Ministry of

Commerce incorporated overseas volunteer service into the framework of international aid, and

jointly conducted work with overseas youth volunteers and improved the support capacity for

overseas youth volunteers.

5) In November 2006, former Chinese President Hu Jintao announced the initiative of “sending 300

youth volunteers to Africa within three years” in the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa

Cooperation. Up to the date of 2 November 2009, China has successfully completed the work of

sending 300 youth volunteers to Africa.

6) In May 2007, 9 Chinese youth volunteers provided services to Guyana, a country in Latin America,

expanding the scope of Chinese youth overseas volunteering to three continents---Asia, Africa and

Latin America.

Between July and August in 2015, we have successfully sent the second group of volunteers to Brunei

and the sixth group of volunteers to Mauritius. We are also initiating projects aimed at sending

volunteers to Seychelles and Cambodia. Up till October 2015, China has sent 650 youth volunteers to

22 countries among which 152 were sent to five Asian countries, 458 to 16 African countries and 40

to one Latin American country. Relay volunteer services have been realized in nine countries

including Laos, Myanmar, Brunei, Ethiopia, Seychelles, Tunisia, Eritrea, Guyana and Mauritius.

2. The Operating Model of Chinese Youths Overseas Volunteering

Since the launch of the Chinese Youths Overseas Volunteering, we have been pursuing objectives that

strengthen the development and construction of volunteerism, constantly enhancing the work of

recruitment, selection, training, dispatch and management services. We have gradually formed an

operating model that is spearheaded by the government, hosted by the Youth League and managed as

foreign affairs projects.

First, attaching importance to cultivating volunteering spirit and atmosphere During recruitment of volunteers for overseas services, we attach overriding importance to the

volunteers’ sense of patriotism, responsibility and devotion and help volunteers to present friendly

images. We hold departure ceremonies for every group of volunteers before they set off. After they

finished their service and return to China, a summary meeting is held to commend and award

volunteers in order to consolidate their sense of mission and pride. At the same time, we enhance the

publicity of volunteer work with proper guidance and set good examples to build the atmosphere of

“offering overseas volunteering and serving the harmonious world.”

Second, insisting on the principle of dispatch on demand and open recruitment

We adhere to the principle of “dispatch according to demand and the capability of volunteers”.

Counselor's Offices of the Ministry of Commerce are responsible for coordinating with the aided

countries to issue demands on volunteers. By way of “each province (or municipality) focuses on one

aided country”, the Central Commission of Youth League is responsible for recruitment, training and

dispatch of volunteers. To ensure the recruitment quality, we have put in place a series of selecting

procedures including initial selection, written examination, interviews, entering the database,

reviewing and disclosure. A nation-wide pool of youth volunteers for overseas services has been

established, which is characterized by “great qualities, excellent professional knowledge, and

effective services”, ready for provision of services in response to emergencies on a regular basis.

Third, strengthening process management, improve rules and regulations

Before sending volunteers abroad, the Youth League committee of the sponsoring provinces

(municipalities) will organize training for volunteers on special topics such as language

communication, culture and customs, etc. While serving abroad, the Counselor's Office of Chinese

embassies will be in charge of the daily management of volunteers; The Youth League committee of

the organizing provinces (municipalities) will support the Counselor's Office to manage volunteers

remotely through telephone, QQ group online communication, e-mail and other means; Guidance

will be provided to volunteers service teams to establish internal organizations in way of electing

captain, vice captain and so on, to help them conduct effective self-management. At the same time,

we introduced The Interim Measures for Designation and Administration of Foreign Aid Youth

Volunteers and The Interim Measures for Recruitment and Training of Foreign Aid Youth Volunteers,

to develop contingency plans, improve the monthly feedback system to collect volunteer information

and the reporting system of major accidents in a timely fashion, in order to ensure safety and the order

for life and work of volunteers.

Fourth, meeting volunteers’ living needs, resolving their worries and concerns

In order to ensure volunteers work smoothly overseas, we provide the appropriate supports for their

lives and work. We provide each volunteer with round-trip transportation expenses, an annual

insurance of 1,500 yuan with a maximum indemnity of 800,000 yuan; we offer 2,000 yuan training

fee, and a monthly US$ 380 living allowance. Some of the sponsoring provinces also adjust to their

local conditions, offering more appealing benefit packages for volunteers, so that volunteers devote

themselves to their service work with full efforts. For instance, Jiangsu provincial Party committee

and Jiangsu Province Youth Volunteers Association organized the aid projects in Nepal, and the

volunteers were offered an additional 1,000 yuan living allowance per month by the provincial

government; and before leaving for the recipient country, the government also granted each volunteer

2,000 yuan for supplies purchase.

3. Major accomplishments of China youth volunteers in overseas services

The China Overseas Youth Volunteer Project has been afforded great importance by the Chinese

Communist Party and state leaders. October 3, 2013, President Xi Jinping pointed out that “China is

willing to send more volunteers to ASEAN countries, to support ASEAN’s development in culture,

education, health, medical and other fields” in his speech to the Indonesian parliament. On October

11, 2013, Premier Li Keqiang attended the China-ASEAN (10 + 3) meeting in Brunei and warmly

greeted all Chinese youth volunteers in Brunei; The joint statement issued during the meeting noted

that “the two sides welcome the Chinese volunteers’ continued contributions to the Chinese language

teaching, sports, and medical science development in Brunei.” On September 17, 2013, during a visit

to Uganda, Chairman Zhang Dejiang cordially met all Chinese youth volunteers in Uganda.

First, making positive contributions to the economic and social development in the aided

countries

Over a decade, we have sent a total of 650 selected foreign aid youth volunteers according to the

needs of recipient countries, all of whom are professional talents. The majority of youth volunteers

have done a great fruitful volunteer work in many areas, namely teaching Chinese language, health

care, rural construction, industrial technology, cultural development and so on. For instance, in Laos,

our volunteers improved melon farming methods and brought a fruitful harvest to local farmers; we

trained the local athletes and one of them won a silver medal at the Sanda Competition in Southeast

Asian Games; The basketball team led by our volunteers hit three historical records in the

qualification game of Laos National Basketball Championship; and we also completed the largest

tumor surgery in Laos’ medical history. These foreign aid volunteering work have effectively

promoted the economic and social development of the aided countries.

Second, building a new platform for cultivating outstanding youths with international visions

Volunteers go abroad and serve in schools, hospitals and communities at the grass-roots level of the

aided country. They eat, live and work with the locals together and offer services for the public. This

not only enriches the life experiences of the young volunteers but also cultivates their characters and

strengthens their ideals. Through the aid service, a large number of outstanding youths with

international vision and excellent qualities have been fostered, such as Feng Ai and Xu Benyu. Some

of them becomes popular Chinese teachers who teaches the Chinese language and spread the Chinese

culture; Some of them become local people’s trusted doctors and nurses who provide medical

services and medicines to save the sick; Some of them become respected coaches who teaches athletic

skills and promotes sportsmanship; Some of them become young experts who spread agricultural

knowledge and technologies.

Third, deepening friendship between China and aided countries

Youth volunteers are wholeheartedly devoted to the volunteer service and in daily contact with the

locals on an equal footing. They spread the Chinese culture, enhances mutual understanding and trust,

enabling the locals to have better understanding of China’s foreign policy of “peace, development and

cooperation” and the principle of offering “aid with attaching political conditions”. As a result, the

locals are more aware of China’s role as a responsible world power. At a meeting with Chinese youth

volunteers in Seychelles, President Michel commented that “Chinese volunteers are outstanding

representatives of Chinese youths and ambassador of Sino-Seychelles friendship.” The Ethiopian

ambassador to China also spoke highly of volunteers, and he remarked that “volunteerism is a symbol

of friendship as well as exchanges and connections between different cultures.” It is proved that

foreign aid in the form of volunteering is more flexible, effective and easily acceptable by aided

countries. It stands apart from intergovernmental aid projects because it enriches the scope and range

of foreign aid while playing a unique role in strengthening friendship between China and the recipient

countries.

Respected officials, and guests, overseas volunteer service of Chinese youths have undergone more

than 10 years of development, with tremendous progress. In our next step, we will continue perfecting

top-level design and working mechanism, exploring new models and fields of foreign aid volunteer

service, pushing forward the standardization and institutionalization of foreign aid. We will strive for

high quality of existing aid projects and improving scientific management of the projects. We are

willing to engage in further cooperation and discussions with UN Volunteers and volunteer

organizations from all over the world as well as exploring the form and content of our cooperation.

We look forward to contributing our youth and wisdom to promoting international volunteer service

and the development of low and middle-income countries to build a global community with shared

interest.

Thank you all!