Madame Chair,

China associates itself with the statement made by Ecuador on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is our core task in the development field and a shared responsibility of the international community. Last year, 22 countries, including China, took part in the first round of national voluntary review and the fact that the number has grown to 44 this year demonstrates the commitment and confidence on the part of members of the international community regarding the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

This session of the Forum under the theme of “Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world” will play an important role in consolidating the momentum of international cooperation for development and advancing global economic growth. All parties are called on to continue to effectively promote the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

First, we need to keep development as our priority and aim at common prosperity. Countries need to align their national development strategies with the 2030 Agenda and link their national development with that of other countries and regions as well as important international cooperation initiatives in order to achieve the effect of mutual promotion. Input in development must be increased with priorities given to issues related to people’s livelihood such as poverty eradication. International organizations and regimes such as G20 and BRICS shall keep development as their priority for cooperation. The United Nations needs to enhance the function of its development system and pay attention to the development needs of the developing countries, the LDCs in particular.

Secondly, we need to strengthen partnership and forge synergy for development. Countries need to work together to build a new type of global partnership for development and construct a cooperation structure with the UN as the core, North-South cooperation as the main channel and South-South cooperation as a supplement. The developed countries must honor their commitments and help the developing countries with more resources for development. The developing countries shall deepen South-South cooperation and seek strength through unity. The United Nations should play a role of overall coordination, reinforce the role of DESA in particular, and make HLPF to play an important role on facilitating international development cooperation and conducting follow-up and review, so that it can promote the implementation of the Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Thirdly, we need to maintain an open and inclusive approach and improve the environment for development. Countries need to abide by the purposes and principles of United Nations Charter, foster a strong sense of a community of share future for mankind and create a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation as the core. There is a need to build an open and inclusive world economy, preserve the multilateral trade system, and tap the new potential for economic growth. Countries should promote democratization of the international relations, improve global economic governance, increase the representation and voice of the developing countries and improve the external environment for the development of countries, especially the developing countries, so that people of all countries can enjoy the fruit of development in a more equitable way.

China has been working in all areas to implement the 2030 Agenda and translate the concept of development into practical initiatives and concrete actions with positive results to show for our efforts.

We have strengthened strategic alignment and promoted the implementation of the Agenda in a comprehensive manner. China has integrated the implementation of the 2030 Agenda with that of its 13th Five Year Plan and medium and long term strategies for development. Guided by the development concepts of innovation, coordination, green economy, openness and benefit sharing, we have been advancing in an integrated manner economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development.

We have taken a balanced approach and achieved multiple “early harvests”. In 2016, China’s GDP grew by 6.7% and contributed to the global economy growth by more than 30%. Last year, the number of our rural people living in poverty was lowered by 12.4 million and poverty rate came down to 4.5% from 5.7% in 2015. China has achieved full coverage of serious illness nationwide and achieved sustainable development goals in health area before the target year.

We have continued to deepen cooperation in an effort to promote common development. The China-United Nations Peace and Development Fund is running well and its sub-fund for development focuses on helping the developing countries realize poverty reduction and other goals. Last May, China successfully hosted the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The Belt and Road Initiative dovetails with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and China is promoting cooperation in implementing the Belt and Road Initiative, thus helping the global implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

China is ready to work with other countries to realize the bright prospect of a world free from want where all people enjoy the benefit of development and to create a better future for succeeding generations.

Thank you Chair.