Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (Front) visits a photo exhibition on China's implementation of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda at the UN Headquarters in New York, on Sept. 26, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to expand exchanges with other countries on implementing the United Nations (UN) 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, so as to build a world of lasting peace and common security and prosperity, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday.

Wang made the remarks when visiting a photo exhibition on China's actions and achievements in carrying out the UN agenda. Together with him, President of the UN General Assembly for the 73rd session, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, and UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, visited the exhibition held at the UN Headquarters in New York.

During a speech addressing the exhibition, Wang said that the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda is a consensus reached by the international community, showing the pursuit of better lives by the people of every country.

As the world's biggest developing country, Wang said, China has attached great importance to carrying out the agenda, working to balance progress in the economic, social and environmental aspects of its development efforts.

China has prioritized the agenda's implementation in its global macro policy making, with increased commitment to South-South cooperation and actions by co-building the Belt and Road.

The top Chinese diplomat added that through the photo exhibition, China hopes to expand exchanges with other countries in the UN development agenda's implementation, pushing forward joint efforts to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, common security and prosperity.

In their speeches, both Espinosa and Mohammed praised China's achievements made in the 40 years of its reform and opening-up, in particular in fighting poverty and climate change. They also highlighted China's contribution to multilateralism and South-South cooperation as well as its key role in implementing the UN development agenda and improving global governance.

They also said China has helped push forward cooperation at the regional and global levels through the Belt and Road Initiative, which China proposed in 2013 to seek common development and prosperity.