Chinese envoy calls for China-EU cooperation in tackling global challenges

UNITED NATIONS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for China-EU cooperation in tackling global challenges.

Today's world faces numerous global challenges. China and the European Union are two major forces in maintaining world peace, two huge markets in promoting common development and two great civilizations in promoting human progress, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

China and the EU have the responsibility and ability to strengthen global cooperation, he told a China-EU side event on women and biodiversity.

"We should prioritize development and promote the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. We should work together to address climate change, preserve biodiversity, and make a success of the second part of COP15 (UN Biodiversity Conference). We should enhance tripartite cooperation with developing countries to promote gender equality and women's empowerment."

China is willing to deepen cooperation with the EU and its member states, to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, to safeguard multilateralism, and to prompt the United Nations to do more to address global challenges, said Zhang.