2nd UN sustainable transport conference set for October in Beijing

China is welcoming the world to attend the Second United Nations Sustainable Transport Conference, which will be held in mid-October in Beijing, a senior official said.

Li Xiaopeng, minister of Transport, extended the sincere invitation on Monday to representatives from more than 100 countries and international organizations at the Ambassadors Face to Face conference with the Ministry of Transport.

With the theme of "Sustainable Transport, Sustainable Development," the conference aims to provide a platform of mutual learning and shared development and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Li said China has transformed itself from an extremely backward country in the transportation sector upon the founding of the People's Republic of China into a country strong in that industry.

Li noted in the new era, as the underlying and pioneering service sector, transportation will better play its role as the vanguard of socio-economic development.

China's transport industry stepped up to serve by creating the new development pattern to build a comprehensive transport system that is intelligent, safe and green.

With the vision of building a shared community for mankind, Li said China would strengthen international exchanges and cooperation to make a greater contribution to boosting global connectivity and people-to-people exchanges, as well as building a prosperous and beautiful world together with other counties, he said.

Gunnar Snorri Gunnarsson, Iceland's ambassador to China, commended China's coordinated approach and ecological philosophy when it comes to Chinese transportation.

"China attaches high importance to developing transportation not only in metropolises such as Beijing and Shanghai, but also in western provinces like Qinghai," he said.

"I observed that President Xi pledged China would peak its carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060," he said, adding that green transportation could play a big part on this aspect.

He also hailed the strong leadership and governance philosophy of the Communist Party of China. Noting the elimination of absolute poverty, regional coordinated development and so on, he said the CPC that is at the core of driving current development in China.

Anyin Choo, ambassador of the Republic of Guyana, said she was highly impressed with the rapid development of Beijing railways, adding it offers a big picture of China's transportation and is inseparable from the Chinese government's efforts under the leadership of the CPC.

"When I first came to China, there was only one railway line, yet now it has developed to be a carefully-planned and all-dimensional network that takes technology, the environment and people's needs into consideration."

After experiencing automated automobile driving for the first time in Shougang Industrial Park, Sobah Rasheed, deputy ambassador of the Republic of Maldives, said he would introduce Chinese automated driving technology to his country.

"As a safe, convenient and green transportation, the automobile driving is surly a workable solution to traffic problems, such as environmental pollution and traffic accidents, for it is energy-saving and applies reliable navigation technology," he said.

"It undoubtedly demonstrates China's leadership in advanced technologies," he said, adding he believes China could help other countries regarding transportation, which would bring tangible results in promoting people-to-people exchanges.

Kim Tae-byung, minister-counselor at the embassy of the Republic of Korea, said the activity showed China's confidence in its transportation.

"I hope more opportunities can be provided to increase face-to-face exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and learning," he said.