May 23, Beijing – UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Kanni Wignaraja visited China, from May 20 to 23, to hold high-level bilateral meetings with senior government officials on UNDP cooperation with China in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These meetings built on discussions from her previous visit to China in November of last year. Wignaraja also participated in a UNDP-led SDG Impact Conference on sustainable financing, and two field visits to observe UNDP’s work with partners in China, especially in exploring innovative solutions for sustainable development, including hydrogen technology.
 
The SDG Impact Conference, themed “Transitioning to net-positive,” was co-hosted with the Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, the Macro and Green Finance Lab of Peking University, and the Climate Bond Initiative. Experts gathered to discuss how to integrate the SDGs into financial decision-making, and promote impact investments for accelerated climate action and biodiversity protection.

During the conference, a new report on “Financing the Climate Transition in China’s Agri-Food System: toward Net-Zero, Resilience and Justice,” was launched, and Wignaraja also delivered a keynote speech highlighting the importance of sustainable finance and impact investments in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon future.

Wignaraja’s field visits saw her travel to Changshu City and Suzhou. In Changshu, she visited a hydrogen refueling station, a metal plate manufacturing factory for hydrogen fuel cells, and the China-Europe Hydrogen Technology Innovation Center, where she observed first-hand the efforts being made in the field of hydrogen power production and development. She also engaged with local government officials, including Changshu’s mayor, Qin Meng, and discussed future partnerships for promoting clean and renewable energy.
 
In Suzhou, she visited the Development Exhibition Hall of Suzhou New District (SND), site of UNDP’s joint SDG Demonstration Project with the Suzhou Municipal Government. While she was there, she met with Mao Wei, Party Secretary of SND to discuss the sustainable development work being carried out in the district through technological innovation.
 
Wignaraja, also traveled to Shanghai, where she met with Ms. Shang Yuying, Deputy Secretary General of the Shanghai Municipal Government, to discuss strengthening UNDP’s partnership with Shanghai on development cooperation, including biodiversity finance, and reaffirm UNDP's commitment to working with Shanghai in advancing SDG progress in China.