China has significantly reduced poverty, improved the health of its people, and pushed for green development, as the country works steadily to achieve its United Nations 2030 sustainable development goals, said State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the United Nations on Tuesday.

Wang delivered his remarks at the Strategic Development Goals summit at the United Nations this evening.

He said China will continue to fight against poverty, adding that more than 13 million people have left poverty on a yearly average for 6 years in a row, comprising 70% of poverty reduction worldwide in the same period, he said.

"China is on track to eradicate absolute poverty next year and meet the first SDG," Wang said. "10 years ahead of schedule."

In many other areas, China has also attained its SDG targets ahead of schedule, including extending medical insurance to the whole population, and lowering neonatal and maternal mortality to 6.1 per 1,000 and 1.83 per 10,000 live births respectively.

Since 2012, close to 70,000 square kilometers of forest have been planted and over 30,000 square kilometers of deserted farmland restored each year on average between 2000-2017, he added.

The new afforestation in China accounted for 25% of the global total.

"Even with these achievements, we're keenly aware that China is still a developing country that faces a big challenge of uneven and inadequate development and it lags far behind developed countries," Wang said.

"To achieve the SDGs, we must take to heart the concerns of developing countries and ensure coordinated economic, ecological, and social development."

Wang emphasized that the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China offers a new starting point for China's development.

"We are committed to complete the building of a moderately-prosperous society in all respects next year, and make China a great and modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally-advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the centenary of the People's Republic," Wang said.

"The 2030 Agenda represents a dream for a better future for the world. It has a lot in common with the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation. China will work tirelessly with the rest of the international community to realize the SDGs for 2030 and bring a better future to all."