Chinese premier meets UN chief on development issue, climate change

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang(L) meets with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonin New York Sept. 19, 2016. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met here on Monday with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to discuss the issue of development and climate change, pledging further support to the United Nations therefor.

China has always been an active supporter to and participant in the cause of the United Nations, as well as a firm defender of the rules and principles of the UN Charter, said Li.

China is willing to further support the United Nations in playing a key role in international affairs and contributing more to world peace and development, he said.

Stressing that this year is the first year for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the first year since the Paris Agreement on climate change was adopted, Li said China, as the biggest developing country, will continue to work with the rest of the world to shoulder the responsibility within its power and make relentless efforts to better global governance.

China also hopes the United Nations could carry out its responsibility of international peace and put the development issue as its priority in order to let people of all countries to benefit from the development, he said.

Speaking highly of China's role in international affairs, Ban said the United Nations commends China's participation in important agendas including climate change and sustainable development as well as its contribution to South-South Cooperation and the international peacekeeping operations.

The United Nations is ready to closely work with China to address the common challenges of the human kind so as to promote world peace and development, said Ban.

Li arrived here Sunday to attend the 71st session of the UN General Assembly. This is the first time for Li to visit the United Nations headquarters in New York since taking office in 2013.