NANCHANG, May 10 (Xinhuanet) -- The United Nations (UN) Symposium on Integrated Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals opened Tuesday in Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province.

    At the three-day meeting, participants will discuss ways to "advance integrated implementation" and identify the weaknesses of current implementation policies, said Joanne Disano, director of the division for sustainable development of the UN at the opening ceremony.

    World leaders have assumed "a collective responsibility to advance and strengthen the interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development -- economic development, socialdevelopment and environment protection -- at the local, national, regional and global levels" at the World Summit on Sustainable development, which was held in 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa,said Joanne Disano.

    Joanne Disano approved the quick implementation of sustainable development worldwide after the 2002 summit.

    "It is encouraging that from then on, people around the would have begun to embrace the concept of sustainable development. I amespecially impressed by the achievements made by the Chinese government in this respect," said Joanne Disano

    About 150 officials, experts. business executives and representatives of international organizations from more than 30 countries and regions attended the symposium. The event is co-sponsored by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Jiangxi provincial government. Enditem