Ambassador Hajiyev,

Assistant Secretary-General Sandkjær,

Colleagues,

It is my great pleasure to attend today's side event.

Transport is the lifeblood of economic development and the bond connecting societies. This year marks the launch of the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport. We should seize this opportunity to strengthen connectivity, forge closer people-to-people bonds, and promote green development. In this regard, I would like to offer four suggestions.

First, put planning first and strengthen connectivity. We should focus on the six priority action areas identified in the Implementation Plan for the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport, take into account the national conditions of all countries, and advance sustainable transport development models suited to their respective circumstances. Greater efforts should be made to strengthen "hard connectivity" in infrastructure, and "soft connectivity" in institutions and rules, improve cross-border transport infrastructure, and raise the level of regional connectivity.

Second, take a long-term perspective and pursue green and low-carbon development. The transport sector is one of the major sources of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable transport development should be incorporated into the overall strategy for green transition. We should promote the application of new-energy, intelligent and digital transport equipment. We should strengthen the development of green infrastructure and accelerate the transition toward green and low-carbon transport systems, so that green and low-carbon mobility becomes a guiding orientation for development and a conscious action across society.

Third, focus on bridging gaps, stay committed to inclusive development that delivers benefits to all. We should follow the philosophy that transport serves the people and contributes to poverty eradication. Greater efforts should be made to improve transport networks in rural and remote areas. We should better meet the travel needs of students, older persons, persons with disabilities and low-income groups. We should enhance the accessibility of transport services and better satisfy people's aspirations for better mobility.

Fourth, strengthen governance and build safer transport systems. Safety standards should be incorporated throughout the entire transport lifecycle, including planning, road design, construction, operation, maintenance, and regulation. We should strengthen public education on transport safety across society, and through continuous improvement of legal frameworks and institutional mechanisms, jointly build a shared and comprehensive transport safety system.

As the Chinese saying goes: "If you want to be wealthy, build roads first." This simple truth has become deeply rooted in China. China's 15th Five-Year Plan sets forth the goal of turning China into a strong transportation nation and improve the modern integrated transportation system.

During this year's Spring Festival, cross-regional passenger trips across China reached 2.81 billion. Today, China handles more than 550 million parcel deliveries every day. China's high-speed railway network has exceeded 50,000 kilometers in operation, covering 97 percent of cities with an urban population of over 500,000. High-speed rail has transformed remote places into accessible destinations, turned barren land into thriving communities, and brought hometowns closer to where people work and live. These vivid examples demonstrate how the development of China's modern transport system has empowered economic growth and created a better life for the people.

China is also an active contributor to global sustainable transport. President Xi Jinping has proposed the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, and China has taken concrete actions to help developing countries improve connectivity.

From the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway, Mombasa–Nairobi Railway that stand testimony to China–Africa friendship, to the China-Laos Railway, China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway designed to boost regional development, and further to the Port of Chancay, Piraeus and Gwadar that connect land and sea corridors, China advances the "hard connectivity" of infrastructure to foster the "heart-to-heart connectivity" among peoples of all countries, delivering benefits to neighboring regions and the wider world.

China will continue to embrace the world and keep pace with the times. We stand ready to work with all parties to enhance global connectivity and make greater contributions to sustainable development worldwide.

Thank you.