Foreign and Military Affairs

Senior Chinese legislator meets UNICEF chief

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-11-05 20:53

BEIJING - Chen Zhili, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, met with Anthony Lake, executive director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), in Beijing Friday.

Lake is in Beijing for a high-level meeting on children's rights in the Asia-Pacific region.

More than 180 representatives from 28 countries in the region will discuss child welfare and the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the UN's eight global anti-poverty objectives to be achieved by 2015, at the meeting.

Chen, also the chairwoman of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), praised UNICEF's contributions to child welfare in China, expressing hope the ACWF and UNICEF would strengthen cooperation in this regard.

Lake said UNICEF hopes to expand cooperation with the ACWF to better guarantee children's rights.

On Friday afternoon, State Councilor Liu Yandong also held a meeting with Lake at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing.

UNICEF programs have benefitted Chinese children, said Liu while welcoming a future plan for cooperation between the organization and China from 2011 to 2015. She called on the two sides to further strengthen communication and deepen cooperation.

Liu, as head of a working committee on women and children under the State Council, also briefed Lake with the committee's work and the progress China has achieved in protecting rights of women and children.

Lake spoke highly of the achievements China has made, saying UNICEF would continue to work with China in a cooperative way.