The plenary meeting of the 224th session of the Executive Board of UNESCO was held from April 13 to 14 in Paris. Vice Minister of Education Xu Qingsen attended the meeting and spoke during the plenary debate.

Xu noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping has set forth four Global Initiatives, presenting China’s approach to addressing global changes and challenges. He said that China supports reforms within UNESCO and hopes the organization will focus on its comparative advantages, optimize its structure, and enhance its efficiency and innovative capacity. He added that China will deepen cooperation with UNESCO, support the development of UNESCO’s International Institute for STEM Education, and jointly advance global collaboration in education, science, and culture, contributing to the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals and to world peace and development.

During the meeting, Xu held exchanges with UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany and other senior officials regarding future cooperation between China and UNESCO.

During his stay in France, Xu also attended a symposium for Chinese experts and scholars based in the country.