Geneva - The Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), António Vitorino, completed a high-level visit to China this week, where he met with senior Chinese government officials. 

During his second visit to China since 2019, Director General held talks with H.E. QIN Gang, State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H. E. MA Zhaoxu, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. LUO Zhaohui, Chairman of China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), and H. E.  XU Ganlu, Vice-Minister of Public Security and Commissioner of the National Immigration Administration (NIA).

DG Vitorino commended China’s commitment to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and China’s strong support of IOM’s work and priorities.

The DG and State Councillor and Foreign Minister exchanged views on global security, peace and development, the relevance of multilateralism and the centrality of the United Nations system and their implications on migration and human mobility.

The meeting with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs focused on how to strengthen IOM-China cooperation to leverage migration for sustainable development in China and beyond.

With the Chairman of CIDCA, DG highlighted that migration is, in great part, a South-South affair as South-South migration continues to outpace South-North migration, and thanked China for the growing partnership with IOM in advancing South-South cooperation for sustainable development outcomes.

In his meeting with the Vice Minister of Public Security and Commissioner of NIA, DG Vitorino expressed appreciation for the ongoing fruitful collaboration in the field of immigration and border governance at national, regional and global levels.

By the end of the visit, the Director General was fully satisfied with the progress made in bilateral relations since his last visit in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, and for the renewed commitment shown to further strengthening cooperation.