Narrowing wealth gap key to addressing migration challenge

UNITED NATIONS -- The international community should endeavor to narrow the wealth gap between countries and regions and promote common development in response to the challenge of migration, a Chinese official said here on Monday.

Cui Li, vice minister of China's National Health and Family Planning Commission, made the remarks at a meeting of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development, which features the theme of "New Trends in Migration -- Demographic Aspects."

"Migration is a key element of population dynamics and an important component of the globalized world," Cui noted. "Migration affects almost all countries in the world, either as origin countries, transit countries or destination countries."

She called on the international community to incorporate population migration into national master plans for "economic and social development" and "make integrated decisions thereon."

"We should boost partnership and cooperation regarding migration ... so as to maximize the benefits of migration to both origin and destination countries and to the migrants themselves, minimize negative impacts of migration and achieve a win-win situation for all stakeholders," she added.

The vice minister also highlighted the importance of safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of migrants.

"We should promote social integration of migrants and capacity building for migrant family development," she said, calling for efforts to ensure the migrants' access to basic public healthcare services, including sexual and reproductive health and family planning services.