On September 27, 2014, Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a statement at the General Debate of the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly. He said that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the UN in 2000 have contributed greatly to human survival and development, yet global development remains a protracted task. The international community faces not only formidable challenges in poverty reduction, hunger elimination, the health of women and children, and education, but also new challenges in the environment, climate change, and energy and resources security.

Wang Yi pointed out that next year is the deadline set for meeting the MDGs, and the post-2015 development agenda will take over the historical mission. The international community should, building on past progress and breaking new ground, adopt more effective plans and take more robust actions to advance the common development of mankind.

Wang Yi stressed that the development agenda, as China sees it, should have three goals: First, it should advance people’s wellbeing, with focus on poverty eradication and development promotion. Second, it should promote inclusiveness so as to uphold social equity and justice. Third, it should ensure implementation. The agenda, guided by the principles of diversity in development models and common but differentiated responsibilities, should aim to enhance global partnerships on development and improve implementation tools and mechanisms.