China will continue to work with all parties to promote global connectivity and make greater contributions to sustainable development worldwide, a Chinese envoy said at a UN side event on Wednesday.
The permanent missions of China and Turkmenistan to the United Nations co-hosted the event "Advancing the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035)" on the sidelines of the 2026 UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at the UN headquarters in New York.
Speaking at the event, Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, called for forging closer people-to-people bond and promoting green development.
"This year marks the launching of the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport. We should seize this opportunity to strengthen connectivity," said Sun.
Sun noted that China is an active contributor to global sustainable transport.
China will continue to embrace the world, keep pace with the times and stand ready to work with all parties to enhance global connectivity and make greater contributions to sustainable development worldwide, Sun said.
China to continue promoting global connectivity with all parties: envoy
Japanese citizens held a large-scale rally in front of the National Diet building in Tokyo on Friday to protest against the government's lifting of the ban on lethal weapons exports and the government's accelerating push for military expansion and constitutional revision.
Many protesters expressed the concern that Japan is heading down a dangerous path, fueled by constitutional revision, military buildup, and closer defense ties with Western allies -- all at the expense of social welfare and the safety of their future generations.
"I'm really upset. What the Takaichi administration is doing is infuriating. They keep pouring money into defense. I'd rather see that go to social welfare, not weapons. And I don't want them to see them building fighter jets either. What I truly hope for is peace -- through dialogue and communication with other countries. That's always been my wish," said a protester.
"Now the Liberal Democratic Party is attempting to revise the constitution. That must be stopped. I feel that Japan is heading down the same road it took before World War II. As a citizen, I believe this must never be allowed to happen," another said.
Behind the outrage over social spending cuts lies a deeper anxiety -- Japan is quietly redrawing its postwar identity, embracing military expansion and arms exports while turning its back on the welfare of its own people.
"Social welfare keeps shrinking, and the out-of-pocket ratio for health insurance keeps going up. Meanwhile, the government is using that money to buy weapons. It shows they're not thinking about people's lives at all. I hope they will stop doing that," said a third protester.
"As constitutional revision and the expansion of the Self-Defense Forces proceed one after another, I am deeply worried about what lies ahead for our society. I wonder whether our children and grandchildren will still be able to live in peace. With Japan engaging in joint development of naval vessels, fighter aircraft, and other military equipment with NATO members, Australia, and other countries while also steadily building up its own armaments and transferring military equipment overseas, I feel there is a real danger of suddenly breaking through the limits that have been in place until now. This genuinely concerns me. That is why I fundamentally oppose these developments," another said.
Japanese citizens rally against gov't remilitarization push
