On 17 March 2018, the first session of the 13th National People's Congress adopted a plan that stipulated the creation of CIDCA.

[2] On 18 April 2018, the CIDCA held an unveiling ceremony at which director of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Offıce Yang Jiechi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi delivered a speech.

[3] The agency was created to "achieve better coordination and greater impact" of China's aid programs, particularly in support of the Belt and Road Initiative.

[7] In December 2021, the joint Measures for the Administration of Foreign Aid issued by CIDCA, MOFCOM, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs state that CIDCA is in charge of drafting aid polices, guidelines, annual plans, and budgets.

[6]: 146–147  According to the Measures, MOFCOM is in charge of implementing foreign aid projects and selecting the firms to undertake them while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs makes recommendations based on diplomatic needs and its consulates and embassies supervise overseas projects.