Political Lens

Vice-premier meets with foreign guests

Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang met on Tuesday with foreign guests from Serbia, Uzbekistan and Iran who are attending the second Belt and Road Conference on Science and Technology Exchange in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

When meeting with Marina Ragus, deputy speaker of the National Assembly of Serbia, Ding said that China is willing to work with Serbia to deepen high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and make scientific and technological innovation cooperation a new growth point in bilateral relations.

In a meeting with Uzbek First Deputy Prime Minister Achilbay Ramatov, Ding expressed China's willingness to deepen the alignment of development strategies with Uzbekistan, and promote collaboration in connectivity, trade and technological innovation under the framework of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

When meeting with Hossein Afshin, Iran's vice-president for science, technology and the knowledge-based economy, Ding said China will work together with Iran to continuously enrich the content of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and bring more tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Vice-president sets out proposals on ocean governance

Vice-President Han Zheng set out four proposals on Monday on sustainable ocean governance while addressing the general debate at the ongoing third United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France.

He stressed that it is a responsibility that all parties should shoulder to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals in various fields, including SDG14, which focuses on conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources.

Han said that President Xi Jinping has pointed out that the blue planet that humans inhabit is not divided into islands by the oceans, but connected by the oceans to form a community with a shared future.

He called on all parties to take the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN as an opportunity to coordinate the conservation and sustainable use of resources to promote the sustainable development of the oceans and build a community with a shared future.

The four proposals are that all parties should make the oceans peaceful and secure to provide a solid foundation for achieving SDG14; all parties should make the oceans universally beneficial and prosperous to provide strong momentum for achieving SDG14; all parties should make the oceans a shared space where civilizations meet and flourish together to provide a good environment for achieving SDG14; and the oceans should be kept clean and beautiful to provide strong support for achieving SDG14.

China Daily - Xinhua