Photo by Niu Xiaolei/Xinhua News Agency

Mr. President:

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

With the steady development of globalization and IT application, international migration has grown both in terms of frequency and in terms of the number of immigrants, reaching 232 million at present. Since migration and development are closely linked, it is of important relevance that the GA is once again holding this high-level dialogue on migration and development.

Indeed, international migration has made tremendous contributions to sustainable social and economic development. It has mitigated the problem of aging in many countries while generating over $400 billion in yearly remittance, thus contributing to world economic development, poverty eradication, and the achievement of the MDGs. On the other hand, together with the tides of migration, the world also witnessed the rise of anti-immigrant sentiments in some countries, growing transnational criminal activities such as illegal migration and human trafficking, inadequate guarantee for immigrants' basic rights and interests in regard to employment, housing, education, and health, and numerous challenges to their survival and development. In addition, the brain drain also bears negatively on the sustainable economic and social development of countries of origin.

The international community should ponder upon ways and means to tap the "positive energy" immigrants bring to sustainable development and eliminate negative effects of migration, and should take an integrated approach in implementing policies. In this regard, the Chinese delegation would like to make the following comments and suggestions:

First, promote development of all countries so as to resolve the issue of migration at the source. The fundamental cause of migration is uneven economic and social development across countries. Sustainable development of the world cannot be built on the basis of a situation in which some countries' wealth keeps increasing while other countries are bogged down in poverty and backwardness. Countries should embrace the concept of common destiny and strive for common development, thereby fundamentally eliminating the negative factors in the area of international migration. Developed countries should provide financial and technical assistance to developing countries for them to achieve the MDGs, thus realizing common economic and social development.

Second, adopt a fair and objective view of migration, and create an inclusive environment for immigrants. Countries should take a rational view of different cultures brought in by immigrants, and give guidance to the population and the media on proper treatment of immigrants. Certain countries should take effective measures to remove unreasonable restrictive immigration policies to ensure rational and orderly flows of migration. At the same time, they should effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of immigrants and facilitate the latter's integration into local society so that they can contribute to local development.

Third, strengthen international cooperation so that countries can share the "migration dividend". Migration is an international issue. The international community, countries of origin, transit, and destination in particular, should make joint efforts to strengthen dialogue and engage in cooperation under the principles of equality and mutual benefit, with a view to resolving practical difficulties in migration management, achieving two-way flows of trained personnel and technology, and sharing the benefits of migration among all countries concerned. The international community should fully consider the important role of migration in sustainable development in the context of formulating the post-2015 international development agenda.

Mr. President,

As China experiences rapid economic and social development, it is no longer just a country of origin and transit for migration, but is also gradually becoming a country of destination. The Chinese government attaches great importance to migration and the resulting opportunities and challenges. We are steadily perfecting entry and exit administration policies and relevant laws and regulations. We are working to protect the legitimate rights and interests of immigrants, facilitate normal personnel flows, and combat human trafficking and illegal migration activities. The Chinese government is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with other countries and international organizations on the issue of migration in a joint effort to promote normal population flows throughout the world, so as to achieve common development and prosperity.

Thank you, Mr. President.