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Statement by Counsellor Yao Shaojun at the High Level Event on "United Action towards Sustainable Development for All through Sport"

2015-04-15 06:00
 

Thank you Madame Moderator.

China wishes to thank the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for hosting this high-level event and appreciates the statements made by the SG, Mr. Sam Kutesa, the President of the General Assembly, and Dr. Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee and other speakers. China supports all the UN endeavors for promoting development through sport.

China maintains that the Post-2015 Development Agenda should be based on the MDGs, and take poverty eradication and development promotion as its core. Priority should be given to addressing the difficulties and challenges faced by developing countries, African countries and the least developed countries in particular, and to redressing the imbalance in development between the North and the South. The principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be upheld. And efforts should be made for a global development partnership that is more equitable and balanced. Developed countries should honor their ODA commitments. The principles of consensus as well as balanced and coordinated development should be applied to promoting economic, social and environmental development in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. The proposal contained in the report of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals shall be the main basis for integrating sustainable development goals into the post-2015 development agenda. No negotiation should be reopened on the goals and targets.

As one of the main factors in economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainable development, sport plays an important role in promoting development and peacebuilding. China has successfully hosted several international sporting events such as the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2014 Youth Olympic Games. At present, Beijing together with Zhangjiakou is now bidding to host the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. We have learned from our experience that sport helps improve people’s physical strength and volunteerism, promote urban development, education, employment, public health, gender equality, protection of rights and interests of persons with disabilities, environmental protection, tourism and many other endeavors, and advance the friendly relations between countries and their peoples. With this in mind, China supports integration of sport in the post-2015 development agenda in proper way, on the condition that no negotiation will be reopened on sustainable development goals and targets.

Thank you Madame Moderator.

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