UN President of General Assembly, Mr. Dennis Francis, will visit China from 27 to 31 January 2024
Media Advisory
26 January 2024 – The President of the United Nations General Assembly (PGA), H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis, will undertake an official visit to the People’s Republic of China from 27 January to 31 January 2024.
During the visit, the PGA will hold bilateral meetings with senior Chinese Government officials and, among other engagements, also visit projects related to sustainability, poverty alleviation, digital economy and connectivity.
While in Beijing, the PGA will hold bilateral meetings with H.E. Mr. HAN Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Mr. WANG Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Foreign Minister, and Mr. MIAO Deyu, in charge of UN affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The PGA’s visit will focus on global challenges and other topics, such as the role of the United Nations and the General Assembly across all pillars of peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights, as well as reflections on the priorities of the Presidency during the 78th session.
The PGA will use the occasion of his visit to acknowledge the important role and contribution of China to the UN and in multilateral affairs, and to reiterate his invitation for Chinese delegation to actively participate in the inaugural Sustainability Week he will convene in New York from 15-19 April), as well as active involvement in preparations for the Summit of the Future, which will take place in September in New York.
Whilst in Beijing, the PGA, who is an International Gender Champion, will exchange views with Mrs. HUANG Xiaowei, Vice President of the All-China Women’s Federation on how China can support the PGA’s priorities to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
Moreover, the PGA will hold a bilateral meeting with Hon. Mr. HUANG Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment to also discuss preparations for the upcoming Sustainability Week and China’s efforts nationally and contributions towards enhancing global cooperation to address climate crisis.
Furthermore, the PGA will visit the city of Shanghai, where he will deliver a public address at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS) – a think tank dedicated to counseling government decision-making through policy-relevant studies in international relations and China’s diplomacy.
In Shanghai, the PGA will use the opportunity of his visit to appreciate firsthand projects related to poverty alleviation and digital technologies and learn about the associated profound economic and social transformations that China has undergone.
With a view to appreciate the work being done by the UN system on the ground, the PGA will also meet with Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, the UN Resident Coordinator in China.
The PGA will be accompanied by his Chef de Cabinet, his Special Adviser on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, his Spokesperson, a Sustainable Development Adviser, as well as a Communications Adviser.
All travel costs are covered by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
For media inquiries and further information, please contact:
Monica Grayley, Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly: grayley@un.org + 1 917 535 5922
Steven Philip, Senior Communications Adviser: steven.philip@un.org +1 732 6983576
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