Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday applauded the work of the United Nations General Assembly when meeting with Miroslav Lajcak, who chairs the 72nd session of the assembly.

“China supports the role of the UN, the most authoritative and representative international organization, in maintaining international peace and promoting common development,” said Wang.

Lajcak said the international community welcomes China's increasingly important role in international affairs, and hopes that China can display leadership in conflict prevention, settlement of hot spot issues, peacekeeping and the implementation of the 2030 agenda.

The UN attaches importance to China's view on UN reform, will push this process forward in an incremental manner, and will enhance cooperation with China to carry forward work in security, development and human rights in a balanced way, he said.

Wang also met with his Ukrainian counterpart Pavlo Klimkin on Monday. The two foreign ministers are in New York for this year's General Debate of the UN General Assembly.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and bilateral relations now enjoy a solid foundation, Wang said. China is willing to deepen practical cooperation with Ukraine by seizing the opportunity of the Belt and Road Initiative and carry forward the strategic partnership between the two countries on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

Wang said China supports a political settlement of the crisis in Ukraine through dialogue and negotiations on the basis of the new Minsk agreement.

Klimkin said his country fully supports China's Belt and Road Initiative and is willing to deepen cooperation with China within this framework so as to push for practical results for bilateral relations.

Ukraine appreciates China's impartial stance on international and regional affairs and hopes China will play an even bigger role in efforts to solve Ukraine's crisis, he said.