Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is in Beijing for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

Noting that the world today is confronted with many global threats and challenges, Xi said the international community must unite and place greater emphasis on development issues.

Xi said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Global Development Initiative were proposed to promote common development of all countries, advance the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and ensure that no country is left behind.

Praising the many tangible achievements of the BRI in the past decade and the UN's role as an important partner in Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said China is willing to work with the UN to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to contribute to world peace and development.

China is willing to enhance cooperation with UN agencies to promote multilateralism and the multi-polarization of the world, and work to make global governance more just and equitable, Xi said.

Guterres said that the BRI provides a very important and effective way to help developing countries achieve sustainable development.

The UN chief noted that the eight major steps announced by President Xi to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation are fully in line with the UN purposes and objectives and are conducive to helping developing countries accelerate their development.

The UN highly appreciates China's firm commitment to multilateralism and supports the three global initiatives put forward by President Xi, said Guterres.

(Cover: Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, October 18, 2023. /Xinhua)