Chinese Leadership Critical to Tackle Climate Change, Deputy Secretary-General Says at Anniversary Reception for People’s Republic of China’s Founding

Following are UN Deputy Secretary‑General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the reception on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, in New York today:

It’s a pleasure to be with you to deliver these remarks on behalf of the Secretary‑General on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.  This year also marks 40 years of the United Nations presence in China.

China has been a key participant in the work of our Organization and has played a central role as a pillar of international cooperation and multilateralism.  China and the United Nations are continuing to work together to address pressing global issues.

First, the climate crisis.  The threat of climate change is moving faster than our efforts to address it.  Extreme temperatures and natural disasters are wreaking havoc across the globe.  But addressing the global climate crisis is still possible.

Next week, the Secretary‑General will convene a Climate Action Summit, bringing together world leaders to tackle this urgent challenge.  Chinese leadership will be critical.  We commend China for its work on climate solutions based on nature, and for pledging to update its climate target by 2020.

And the work does not stop here.  Next year, China will host the Secretary‑General’s second Global Sustainable Transport Conference in Beijing, and the Biodiversity Conference in Kunming.  We look forward to working closely with our Chinese counterparts for the success of these conferences.

China has also been a pioneer in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.  Your country has shown a strong commitment to sustainable development, most notably the goal of ending poverty, and to South‑South cooperation.  China was also at the origins of our most comprehensive global action plan for gender equality:  the Beijing Declaration.

China has been a steady partner in ensuring that the United Nations can carry out its activities, as the second‑largest contributor to both the regular and peacekeeping budgets.  You also provide a significant number of blue helmets serving under the United Nations flag.

We are particularly grateful for the political and financial support China has provided to help us create a stronger coordination function for sustainable development, and for the peace and development trust fund you created in 2016.

The Secretary‑General and I thank you for your commitment to the collective efforts of the United Nations to address peace and security, human rights and development challenges across the globe, and wish you continued success in the years to come.