Li urges G20 to strengthen coordination

Premier Li Qiang addresses the 18th G20 Summit on Saturday in New Delhi, India. [Photo/Xinhua]

Premier Li Qiang has called on Group of 20 countries to adhere to solidarity and cooperation, and strengthen coordination of macroeconomic policies to deliver confidence in and impetus for economic growth.

Li made the statement while attending the two-day 18th G20 Summit, which concluded on Sunday in the Indian capital, New Delhi.

The summit was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, which holds the rotating presidency of the G20 this year. Leaders and representatives from G20 members as well as those of invited countries and international organizations attended the meeting.

The premier noted at the inaugural meeting of the summit on Saturday that the destiny of humanity is interdependent, and countries should respect one another, seek common ground while shelving differences and live together in peace.

In the face of major crises and common challenges, no one can prosper alone, and only unity and cooperation can lead humanity to the right path, he said.

Li urged the G20 members to adhere to the group's original aspiration of unity and cooperation, shoulder the responsibility of peace and development and effectively strengthen coordination of macroeconomic policies to boost the confidence in and momentum of global economic growth.

"We need to firmly promote economic globalization and jointly safeguard the stable and unimpeded global industrial and supply chains, working as partners in promoting global openness and cooperation," Li said.

"We need to collectively safeguard the green home of the Earth, promote green and low-carbon development, protect the marine ecological environment and work as partners in promoting global sustainable development," he added.

Li emphasized the need to resort to unity rather than division, cooperation rather than confrontation, and inclusiveness rather than exclusion.

China will unswervingly deepen reform and expand opening-up to promote high-quality development and advance Chinese-style modernization, he said.

The premier assured the leaders at the meeting that China enjoys bright development prospects and will inject more impetus into global economic recovery and sustainable development.

"We are willing to join hands with all parties to make greater efforts and contributions for our common Earth, common home and common future of humanity," he said.

While addressing the third phase of the summit on Sunday, Li said the most pressing issue at present is development. G20 members should put development at the center of macro policy coordination, establish more pragmatic cooperation mechanisms and take practical actions to support developing countries in better addressing development challenges such as poverty reduction, financing, climate change, and food and energy security.

During the summit, the African Union was made a permanent member of the G20. In addition, the summit adopted the G20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration, in which the leaders highlighted the role of the G20 as the premier global forum for international economic cooperation, called for its continued operation in the spirit of multilateralism, and pledged to act in concrete ways through partnerships.

The leaders committed to accelerating strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth, speeding up the full and effective implementation of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and stepping up actions to address development and climate challenges.

They vowed to "improve access to medical countermeasures and facilitate more supplies and production capacities in developing countries to prepare better for future health emergencies". They also pledged to "promote resilient growth by urgently and effectively addressing debt vulnerabilities in developing countries" and "scale up financing from all sources for accelerating progress on" the Sustainable Development Goals.

The next G20 Summit will be held in Brazil next year, according to the leaders' declaration.

Li concluded his six-day overseas trip, which took him to Indonesia and India, and flew back to Beijing late on Sunday.