Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told United Nations General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande that China supports the UN's role in promoting multilateralism, international affairs and safeguarding common interests of the international community.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly in New York on Monday.

2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UN, and Wang said China supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially in addressing poverty reduction, education and climate change.

Benda, meanwhile, congratulated China on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and lauded the country's remarkable achievements over seven decades.

He also expressed appreciation to China's role in promoting world peace and development.

Wang also met Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday.

Wang said the two countries are strategic cooperative partners, and China will continue to support the Pakistani government to defend its territory and sovereignty.

The two sides should work together to build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into a model for high-quality development projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), he added.

Khan echoed Wang, saying Pakistan will push forward the transformation and upgrading of the CPEC and continue to make every effort to ensure safety of Chinese projects, enterprises and personnel in Pakistan.

He said that Pakistan and China are close friends, and his government will spare no efforts in maintaining this friendship.

Separately, the Chinese foreign minister met Cyprus' President Nicos Anastasiades, and the two sides agreed to push forward cooperation under the BRI.

Both sides hailed bilateral ties and agreed to make more contribution to China-EU cooperation.

When he was meeting his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto, Wang said China wants to deepen political trust and strengthen cooperation with Hungary under the BRI.

Hungary has been a front-runner in the BRI, with remarkable progress made in the Hungary-Serbia railway project, he said.

Szijjarto said Hungary is willing to further expand cooperation with China in various fields and play a positive role in China-EU relationship. 

On Monday, Wang Yi hosted a trilateral meeting with officials from Myanmar and Bangladesh on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

(Cover: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on the sideline of the 74 UNGA in New York, September 23, 2019. /Photo via Chinese Foreign Ministry)