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UNITED NATIONS, June 30 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday welcomed China's accession to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), saying that he believed China will make a valuable contribution to IOM.
"China becoming a member of IOM is particularly important at this crucial time, when the issue of migrants and refugees needs more attention and action than ever before," said Ban in a statement.
Earlier this month, China submitted an application letter for membership in the Geneva-based IOM. The organization approved China's application on Thursday.
IOM was born in 1951 out of the chaos and displacement of Western Europe following the Second World War.
It has broadened its scope to become the leading international agency working with governments and civil society to advance the understanding of migration issues, encourage social and economic development through migration, and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants.
Since China became an observer of the IOM in 2001, the two sides have had extensive pragmatic cooperation on the capacity building of migration management and overseas consular protection, Lu Kang, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has said.
Once China joins the IOM, it will play a bigger role in international migration, and contribute Chinese wisdom to enhancing international cooperation on migration, he said.
