CONTRIBUTOR TO GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainable development is the key theme of this year's WEF, with efforts to combat climate change -- one of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) -- at the heart.
Echoing Xi's call to "meet the challenges of climate change," Han said that China is a contributor to sustainable global development.
China has actively implemented the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and played a leading role in international cooperation on climate change, which has made global development more inclusive and sustainable, he said.
Han's speech "was both expected and reassuring. It is indeed reassuring that the country strongly believes in multilateralism, in international cooperation and in respecting the environment," said Philippe Monnier, an international business executive and former executive director of Greater Geneva Berne Area's Economic Development Agency.
These values, which have been emphasized by Xi in 2017, are very similar with the values embodied in the UN charter and in the WEF manifesto, Monnier added.
"China is the country with the highest level of investment in renewable energy in absolute terms, and it has taken dramatic actions to reduce carbon emissions," said Guy Ryder, director-general of the International Labour Organization.
"However, more needs to be done collectively if we are to meet this target, which is crucial for the future of our children," Ryder said.
STEADY HAND AT PROMOTING INCLUSIVENESS
As the largest developing country on earth, China has charted its course for inclusive development in line with the SDGs, to deliver benefits to all its people, particularly those struggling to make a better living.
Honson To, chairman of KPMG China and Asia Pacific, said China's proposal and road map of development remained unchanged since Xi's speech in 2017.
The course of China's development has been very clear since its reform and opening-up over 40 years ago, without hesitating or turning back, To said.
Han, in his Tuesday speech, pledged that China will "work with people of all countries to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity" so as to make greater contribution to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
The global community should "keep to the goal of safeguarding peace, promoting development, upholding equity and justice, and pursuing mutual benefit and win-win outcomes," he said, calling for joint efforts to tackle global challenges such as poverty reduction.
According to official data, China has lifted more than 800 million people out of poverty over the past several decades, representing over 70 percent of global poverty reduction.
The SDGs "are very ambitious. The overall aim then is to eradicate all extreme poverty by 2030," on which China has an impressive record, Brende said.
"We have never seen that number of people lifted out of extreme poverty ever before in the history of mankind," so this is "a great achievement of China," he said.
"We have to have economic growth but that growth has to be more inclusive, it has to create more jobs and it also has to be more sustainable because we only have one planet," he said, adding "we just have to take better care of the planet we have."
"It will be very interesting to follow China moving forward, how it will continue to prosper its population but balancing it with nature and inclusiveness," he said.
