China's envoy to the United Nations on Monday called for deeper international cooperation on ecological protection and sustainable development, emphasizing China's national strategy as a case study of integrated sustainable development.

The event, titled "China's Two Mountains Theory for Advancing Sustainable Development", was held as part of the 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. It was co-organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Permanent Mission of China to the UN.

Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, highlighted the country's efforts to implement the sustainable development goals through policies that link environmental protection with economic development.

"We must uphold the vision of ecological civilization," said Fu. "We must always put people's well-being front and center. We should pursue win-win results in environmental protection, economic development, job creation, poverty alleviation and other endeavors, and build a homeland of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature," he said.

"To help the global green, low-carbon transition, developed countries should provide financial, technological and capacity-building support to developing countries, so that all countries can share the benefits of green development," said Fu, urging the improvement of global ecological governance.

He also noted that China has invested heavily in renewable energy and environmental restoration, citing domestic reductions in energy intensity and improvements in air quality. According to Fu, China is a major supplier of solar and wind technology globally, which has helped expand clean energy access in developing countries.

The timing of the event aligned with the release of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025 on Monday. According to the report, only 35 percent of the targets are on track to be met, nearly half are progressing too slowly and 18 percent have regressed to levels below those in 2015.

"We are in a global development emergency, an emergency measured in the over 800 million people still living in extreme poverty, in intensifying climate impacts and in relentless debt service, draining the resources that countries need to invest in their people," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the launch of the report earlier on Monday.

"The sustainable development goals are still within reach. But only if we act with urgency, unity and unwavering resolve," he said.

Li Junhua, UN under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs, attended the report launch and also spoke at the event.

"In this critical moment, China's strategic approach to development offers a powerful blueprint for aligning the national strategy with local action and scientific innovation," Li said.

He pointed to Huzhou, in East China's Zhejiang province, as a local example of ecological restoration combined with geospatial planning.

Yucun village in Anji county of Huzhou is where the "Two Mountains Theory" was first put forward in 2005, calling lucid waters and lush mountains invaluable assets comparable to the gold and silver of legend.

Huzhou now hosts a UN-affiliated geospatial information center.

Li said the case shows how data and territorial planning can support implementation of the goals at the municipal level.

"At the heart of the effect of the SDG implementation lies data signs and innovation," said Li. "This empowers us all — governments, researchers, citizens and all stakeholders — to make informed decisions, track progress and adapt to the changing realities."