Premier to discuss issues such as world order, peace and development and will meet Obama

Premier Li Keqiang arrived in New York on Sunday afternoon to start a whirlwind of activities in the city, where he will address the annual general debate and meet with President Barack Obama and UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

The premier and his wife Professor Chen Hong each received a bouquet of flowers from a representative of the Chinese UN mission as they arrived at Kennedy International Airport to kick-off an 11-day trip that will also take them to Canada and Cuba.

Security in New York was tight on Sunday, as police were still searching for clues of an explosion that rocked a Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood Saturday night, injuring 29 people.

A security staff person at the hotel where Li and his delegation will stay told China Daily that she believed the situation was "serious".

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the restoration of China's seat at the United Nations.

During his four-day stay in the city, the premier will expound on China's viewpoints on major issues regarding the international order, global governance and peace and development.

"An active supporter of all causes of the UN, China strongly defends the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and actively participates in the work of the UN as a permanent member of its Security Council," Li said upon his arrival.

"China is willing to work with all sides to make contributions to better address global challenges and promote world peace and development," he said.

The premier is scheduled to attend two high-level meetings - one sponsored by the UN, and another by the US - on addressing the thorny issue of mass movement of refugees and migrants. China will contribute to resolving the challenges through offering measures and material aid, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

At the annual general debate, the premier is expected to roll out a raft of pragmatic measures to support the UN's work in coping with challenges such as terrorism and refugee crisis.

Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, said Li will offer Chinese measures to help promote peace and development throughout the international community.

China will lead international development and cooperation and promote implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he said.

"As the world's largest developing country, China has a unique advantage in implementing creative, harmonious, green, open and shared development, as well as promoting development and cooperation among countries," Liu said.

In early September, China successfully hosted the Group of 20 Summit. For the first time, China put the issue of development at the top of the world policy agenda and injected vigor into global development, Liu said.

China plans to play a bigger role to keep international peace and security.

"Among UN Security Council permanent member countries, China sends the largest group of peacekeepers to overseas posts," Liu said. "China is also the second-largest peacekeeping funder."

"China has always advocated for peacefully solving disputes through dialogue and negotiation, and safeguarding security through joint, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable efforts," he added.

China firmly supports a "strong and robust" role for the UN, he added.

Earlier last week, Vice-Foreign Minister Li Baodong said China hoped to use the premier's UN tour as an opportunity to strengthen communication with other sides and underline the basic norms of international relations.

"The international community should jointly establish a new international order with cooperation and reciprocity at its core," the vice-minister told a press conference in Beijing.

On the sidelines, Li will have a brief meeting with President Obama to discuss US-China relations and most likely, the Korean Peninsula issue, which has become more complicated following the recent nuclear test in the North and a US decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), an advanced anti-missile system, in South Korea.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

zhaohuanxin@chinadaily.com.cn