Development at center of global agenda

China advocates true multilateralism, open world economy, UN summit told

China advocates putting development at the core of the global agenda while building an open world economy devoid of decoupling and disruption of supply chains, Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng said at United Nations headquarters in New York on Tuesday.

Speaking at a leaders' dialogue during the two-day Sustainable Development Goals Summit, which ended on Tuesday, Han also said global development is facing severe challenges. His remark echoed an assessment by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that, halfway to the deadline of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, only 15 percent of the targets are on track.

The 2023 SDG Summit, held during the UN General Assembly High-Level Week, gathered world leaders to reaffirm their collective commitment to the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which represent a global promise to secure the rights and well-being of everyone on a healthy, thriving planet.