On September 24, 2019 local time, President Xi Jinping's Special Representative, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the United States.
Wang Yi expressed in the speech, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has opened a new chapter in development cooperation around the world. Leaving No One Behind is our shared responsibility. To achieve the SDGs, we must take to heart the concerns of developing countries, and ensure coordinated economic, ecological and social development; we must uphold multilateralism and support the central role of the United Nations in the international system; and we must take effective measures to deepen a global partnership for development.
Wang Yi noted, this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Hence a new starting point for China's development. We are committed to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects next year, and make China a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the centenary of the People's Republic. We have been embracing a new development philosophy featuring high-quality development that is innovative, coordinated, green and open for the benefit of all. We have been identifying sustainable development as a fundamental state policy, and taking comprehensive measures to implement the 2030 Agenda. We have been staying determined to win our fight against poverty. China is on track to eradicate absolute poverty next year and meet the first SDG 10 years ahead of schedule. We have been developing education as a priority. Take the year 2017 as an example. Almost all the students finished their studies in China's primary and junior high schools. We have been implementing the Healthy China initiative at a faster pace, and extending medical insurance to the whole population. We have been promoting afforestation across the country. Between 2000 and 2017, the new afforestation in China accounted for 25% of the global total.
Wang Yi said, we are keenly aware that China is still a developing country that faces a big challenge of uneven and inadequate development and lags far behind developed countries. We must, therefore, remain focused on running our own affairs well. After all, a better life for the 1.4 billion Chinese will be, in itself, China's biggest contribution to global development. At the same time, we will continue to pursue Belt and Road cooperation. Our aim is to promote development for all through greater openness and cooperation and build a community with a shared future for mankind. The 2030 Agenda represents a dream for a better future for the world. In this sense, it has a lot in common with the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation. China will work tirelessly with the rest of the international community to realize the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 and bring a better future to all.