"I hope that we, leaders present today, will join hands to shoulder greater responsibilities as statesmen and pay closer attention to and show more compassion for the poor regions and people in the world," he urged.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (front) applauds as he delivers a speech at the United Nations high-level meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in New York, the United States, September 25, 2008. [Yao Dawei/Xinhua]

Wen emphasized the importance for governments to give top priority to development. The first and foremost development goal should be economic, with educational, cultural and social development also high on the agenda, he added.

He urged respect for the right of all countries to choose their own development paths suited to their national conditions, and called for efforts to resolve regional conflicts and ethnic strife through peaceful means.

On international assistance in eliminating poverty, Wen said developed countries in particular should assume the responsibility of helping underdeveloped countries.

"Assistance should be provided selflessly, with no strings attached. It is particularly important to increase assistance for least developed countries and regions," he said.

Wen proposed that donor countries double their donations to the World Food Programme in the next five years and that the international community do more to cancel or reduce debts owed by least developed countries and provide zero-tariff treatment to their exports.

Efforts should also be made to improve the working mechanisms for the development goals in the Millennium Declaration and coordinate the functions of international organizations to jointly overcome the difficulties facing developing countries, he proposed.  

More assistance from China　

China will speed up efforts and provide more assistance to needy countries to facilitate the attainment of the MDGs, pledged Wen.

China will contribute 30 million US dollars to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization to establish a trust fund to help developing countries enhance agricultural productivity.

It will also "cancel the outstanding interest-free loans extended to least developed countries that mature before the end of 2008." Ninety-five percent of products from these countries will also enjoy zero-tariff treatment in the Chinese market, the premier said.

China will also increase agricultural technology support and provide more agricultural training opportunities for developing countries, he said.

Over the next five years, developing countries will get 10,000 more scholarships from China, along with some training programs provided exclusively for African teachers. China will also fully staff and equip the hospitals it builds for African countries and help train their medical staff.

Also in the next five years, China will develop 100 small-scale clean energy projects for developing countries, including small hydropower, solar power and bio-gas projects, the premier said.

Wen arrived in New York Tuesday morning for a three-day visit. He attended the annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly Wednesday as well as Thursday's UN MDGs summit meeting, and held talks with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and leaders of some countries

(Xinhua News Agency September 26, 2008)