Beijing: Ban urges China to help build momentum ahead of Paris conference

Ban made the appeal in separate meetings with the President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, Vice Premier Liu Yandong, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, where he attended commemorative events in the Chinese capital marking the 70th anniversary of the Second World War.

At a meeting with President Xi Jinping earlier on Thursday, the Secretary-General commended China’s strong commitment to multilateralism and its contributions, including to UN peacekeeping operations, the fight against the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, and its mediation efforts, notably in South Sudan, Iran and the Korean Peninsula.

In all his meetings, he thanked China for its efforts to address climate change, both through its actions and policies, and its instrumental role in helping to reach the sustainable development agreement.

“The Secretary-General called for continued support from China for building momentum ahead of the Paris Climate Change Conference and the implementation of the new sustainable development agenda,” his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric told reporters.

Ban told the President that he looks forward to his visit to the UN Headquarters later this month to attend the Sustainable Development Summit, the General Debate and other important high-level events, including the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, and the High-level Roundtable on South-South Cooperation, both co-hosted by the Government of China.

In his discussions with the Chinese leaders on their country’s commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment, Ban expressed appreciation for the Beijing’s collaboration with UN Women on the forthcoming Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, to take place at the UN headquarters in New York on 27 September 2015.

The high-level meeting marks the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Photo: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe