United Nations in China and International Cooperation Center Co-Host High-Level Symposium on Asia-Pacific Cooperation and Development

The symposium provided a strategic platform for stakeholders to explore coordinated responses to regional and global challenges, from economic slowdown and digital fragmentation to climate change and global governance reform.

In her remarks, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), highlighted the significance of regional cooperation, adaptive policymaking, and inclusive innovation. She stated: “Deepening regional collaboration and aligning efforts can complement existing initiatives, fostering stability as well as predictability.” 

In his opening remarks, Ma Shengrong, Chief Expert of ICC and former President and Executive Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Xinhua News Agency, emphasized the need to uphold multilateralism, deepen regional integration, and promote openness and cooperation. He highlighted the ICC’s commitment to working with the UN to align regional initiatives with the 2030 Agenda and advance shared development across the Asia-Pacific region.

As part of the keynote session, Zhou Hong, Chairperson of the Academic Committee of ICC and Member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out the need to strengthen multilateralism and enhance Asia-Pacific cooperation in response to global challenges such as protectionism and geopolitical tensions. She also called for concrete regional initiatives to support UN-led governance and advance peace, development, and sustainability.

David Mclachlan-Karr, Regional Director of the UN Development Coordination Office for Asia and the Pacific, and Irene Pivetti, Senior Advisor for International Affairs of ICC, highlighted the Asia-Pacific region’s diversity as a strength, while stressing the need for greater cooperation, UN-supported coordination, and context-sensitive approaches to address challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Three panel discussions addressed the symposium’s core themes. The first, on promoting regional practices of the SDGs, featured perspectives from Bilal Mahmood Chaudhary (Pakistan), Zhang Jin (Center for International Knowledge on Development), and Jessica Owens (United Nations Children's Fund). Panelists drew attention to the need for inclusive digital transitions, equitable access to development, and regional peer learning. They underscored the importance of strengthening regional cooperation to achieve the SDGs, highlighting shared values, people-to-people connections, inclusive partnerships, and practical collaboration in the face of growing regional and global challenges.

The second panel addressed reform of the international financial system and sustainable financing, with contributions from the Ambassador Da Silva Horta Maubere Loro Sae (Timor-Leste), Zhou Aiming (Asian Development Bank), and Dun Zhigang (Renmin University of China). The discussion highlighted the urgent need to close financing gaps and strengthen support for sustainable development through regional cooperation, innovation, and inclusive solutions across the Asia-Pacific region.

The final panel explored opportunities and challenges in Asia-Pacific economic cooperation. Zhao Qinghua (China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Ambassador Paulo Jorge Nascimento (Portugal), Di Dongsheng (Renmin University of China), and Qian Xiaojun (Tsinghua University) discussed the need for inclusive regional cooperation, innovation, and education to address shared challenges, enhance economic integration, and build a more balanced and resilient future aligned with the SDGs.

In his closing keynote, Jorge Moreira da Silva, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), emphasized the urgent need for inclusive, development-oriented cooperation in Asia and the Pacific to address global challenges, and bridge divides. He stated: “Let's ensure that this cooperation is rooted in development cooperation and is better aligned with the SDGs. It's not just about trade, investment, and the economy; it's also about addressing this element of solidarity in an interdependent world with risks.”

The symposium concluded with closing remarks by Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China, who reinforced the Asia-Pacific region’s vital role in shaping a resilient and cooperative global future, underscoring the urgent need for solidarity, inclusive development, and stronger multilateralism to achieve the SDGs. He said: “The Asia-Pacific region offers a beacon of hope—through ASEAN’s constitution and China’s role as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. It is timely and important that we meet now to consider how we can shape the development narrative for the region and the world.”