Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome to the High-Level Meeting on Juncao Technology: Concrete Contribution of the Belt and Road Initiative towards Synergies with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development co-hosted by the Permanent Mission of China and DESA.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by H.E. President Xi Jinping is a major international cooperation initiative. It aims to boost China's all-round opening-up in the new era and bring more development opportunities and benefits to more countries. Focused on the fundamental issue of development, the BRI serves to enhance connectivity and help countries break bottleneck in development. It facilitates the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and promotes global economic growth. There have been many success stories of the BRI contributing to economic growth and better living conditions in the participating countries.

Juncao technology, originated in China, is a comprehensive technology designed for poverty alleviation, ecological protection and sustainable development. During his tenure in Fujian Province, President Xi gave support to a demonstration project of Juncao technology in Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. The project continues to operate, bringing tangible economic and social benefits. It has become a shining example of the growing relations between China and Papua New Guinea.

After years of development, Juncao technology has been applied in many countries along the routes of the Belt and Road. It helps the countries meet SDGs, such as eliminating poverty and hunger, promoting food security, ensuring and increasing employment, tackling climate change and protecting the ecological environment, and helps the people get rid of poverty and live a better life. In 2017, under China-UN Peace and Development Fund announced by President Xi, a Juncao technology project was implemented. Through training courses, seminars and production demonstration, the project helps many developing countries strengthen capacity-building in implementing SDGs, thus making concrete contribution to synergies between the BRI and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The BRI, though proposed by China, belongs to the whole world. It is guided by the principle of consultation and cooperation for shared benefits. It represents an approach to international cooperation featuring mutual respect, justice, equity and cooperation for win-win outcomes. And it is a commitment to multilateralism and an open global economy. As such, the BRI will help move economic globalization toward greater openness, inclusiveness, balance and win-win outcomes.

Through six years of hard work, the BRI has laid its groundwork and entered the stage of all-round growth. It is bearing fruit and will create more opportunities for cooperation. Thanks to the initiative, we have seen growing complementarity among the development strategies and plans of BRI partners, solid progress in BRI cooperation, and reinforced effect of bilateral, trilateral and multilateral cooperation. A strong foundation has been laid for quality BRI cooperation.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In late April, the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will be held in Beijing. Representatives from over 100 countries, including about 40 leaders of foreign governments, have confirmed their attendance. China and other parties will take stock of what has been achieved and draw a blueprint to further enrich BRI cooperation. Just as the Juncao project benefits hundreds of thousands of ordinary people, it is our hope that the participating parties of BRI will always put people first in development, forge extensive partnerships, and jointly implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In so doing, we will create more driving force for economic growth of participating countries and beyond, provide more opportunities for international economic cooperation, and contribute more to the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and a new type of international relations.

Thank you.