China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu (C) speaks during the High-level Side Event Addressing Unbalanced and Inadequate Development to Achieve the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) on the sidelines of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, at the UN headquarters in New York, July 16, 2018. Ma said here Monday that efforts must be made to promote fair development to ensure equal opportunities. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy said Monday that efforts must be made to promote fair development to ensure equal opportunities.

"We must promote fair development to ensure equal opportunities. All countries should be part of global development," said Chinese ambassador to the UN Ma Zhaoxu at the High-level Side Event Addressing Unbalanced and Inadequate Development to Achieve the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) on the sidelines of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

"We must improve global economic governance and increase representation and voice of developing countries to allow equal participation in rules-making," he said.

The side event, co-hosted by the Chinese delegation to the United Nations together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), was aimed to discuss how to best address unbalanced and inadequate development, which, as Ma put it, "is highly important for implementing the 2030 Agenda and fostering a global community with a shared future."

"Unbalanced and inadequate development is a common challenge facing countries across the world. To achieve shared prosperity, countries need to work together to pursue fair, open, comprehensive and innovative development," said the ambassador.

"We must pursue open development to benefit everyone. Countries should open up to enable factors of production to move more freely worldwide," he added.

Noting that the multilateral trading system must be upheld to build an open world economy where everyone contributes to and benefits from development, Ma said that unilateralism and protectionism are posing a threat to global growth. It has caused widespread concern and met with rejection worldwide.

"China stands against unilateralism and trade and investment protectionism. We believe that trade disputes and frictions should be resolved in a reasonable manner. We will work with all parties to uphold free trade and the multilateral trading system to maintain the common interests of all countries," he noted.

"While making effort to reduce poverty and improve lives, we must uphold social fairness and justice to make sure no one is left behind. We should also strike a balance between economic, social and environmental progress," the ambassador noted.

Speaking of China's commitment, the ambassador said that "China will continue to work with the rest of the world for development."

"With stronger partnerships, we can create a better environment for balanced and adequate development. Together, we will make the goals of the 2030 Agenda and a community with a shared future for mankind a reality," Ma concluded.????