On the morning of August 20, 2024, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhao Leji attended the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the NPC's affiliation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the opening ceremony of the 2024 interregional seminar on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for parliaments of developing countries at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. He also delivered a keynote speech entitled Moving Forward with Solidarity and Cooperation to Seek Greater Synergy for Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind.

Zhao Leji said, the IPU is the most influential international parliamentary organization with a long history and large scale in the world today. It is an important platform for the legislative bodies of various countries to have exchanges and dialogue and seek cooperation. Since the NPC joined the IPU 40 years ago, its cooperation with the IPU and legislative bodies of various countries has grown deeper and more substantive. China is ready to work with the IPU and legislative bodies of other countries to expand the forms of exchanges, enrich the content of cooperation and continue to achieve fruitful results.

Zhao Leji stressed that the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation put forward by President Xi Jinping aim to encourage all parties to jointly address global challenges, promote common development, improve people's well-being, and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind. To implement the three global initiatives and deepen solidarity and cooperation, legislative bodies should treat one another as equals, respect and trust one another, respect the development paths and systems chosen independently by the people of each country, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, oppose interference in other countries' internal affairs, oppose camp confrontation and small circles and practice the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. Zhao Leji urged all sides to facilitate common development, implement the sustainable development agenda and promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. He said all parties need to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, respect the diversity of world civilizations, and increase their sharing of state governance experience, so as to foster an enabling legal environment for cooperation. He also called on all sides to strengthen multilateral coordination, practice true multilateralism, promote an equal and orderly multipolar world, and make the global governance system more just and equitable.

IPU President and Tanzania's National Assembly Speaker Tulia Ackson, IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong, and parliamentary leaders and representatives of 32 developing countries attended the opening ceremony. Tulia Ackson, Martin Chungong, Speaker of the Egyptian House of Representatives Dr. Hanafi Jabali, Speaker of the Grenada House of Representatives Leo Cato, President of the Jordanian Senate Faisal Al Fayez, and Speaker of the Parliament of Malawi Catherine Gotani Hara addressed the opening ceremony.

Prior to the opening ceremony, Zhao Leji met with Tulia Ackson. He said that China is ready to continue working with the IPU to organize interregional seminars on the achievement of the SDGs for parliaments of developing countries, support the IPU in preparing for the sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament scheduled for next year, strengthen bilateral cooperation, and make contributions to promoting world peace and development. Tulia Ackson said, the IPU is ready to deepen cooperation with China's NPC and will continue to adhere to the one-China principle. The IPU welcomes China to play a greater role in the organization.

Zhao Leji also had a group meeting with Tulia Ackson, Martin Chungong and the heads of delegations. Noting that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, he said China is ready to deepen cooperation with the IPU and the legislative bodies of other countries to jointly safeguard the interests of developing countries. Tulia Ackson and leaders of the parliaments of Botswana, Guyana, Jordan, Lesotho, Madagascar, the Maldives, Mauritius and Sierra Leone delivered speeches respectively. The foreign side expressed their willingness to strengthen solidarity and cooperation among legislative bodies, jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and promote sustainable development. Following the meeting, the two sides witnessed the signing of relevant cooperation agreements between the NPC and the IPU.

Li Hongzhong chaired the opening ceremony and attended the above activities.