United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing, where he welcomed China’s efforts towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as its support to other countries in their own implementation. “The Secretary-General welcomed China’s early efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by aligning its five-year plan with the Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs],” said a note issued by the Secretary-General’s spokesperson. Mr. Ban also noted the country’s leadership on South-South cooperation, calling it pivotal in advancing the Sustainable Development Agenda worldwide. During the meeting, the Secretary-General also expressed hope regarding China’s continued leadership and multilateral engagement in support of resolving regional and global challenges and said that he looked forward to welcoming the Premier at the 71st General Debate and High-Level session of the UN General Assembly in September.