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China offers $100 million in aid for refugees

Li told a refugee summit at the United Nations that large movements of refugees posed a political, social and security threat that created opportunities for terrorists to exploit.

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday meets with US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the ongoing 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

UNITED NATIONS China plans to provide an additional $100 million (76.68 million pounds) in assistance to help deal with the global refugee and migrant crisis and is also considering setting aside a $1 billion fund for the objective, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday.

Economic and trade cooperation is the “cornerstone” and “propeller” of China-US relations, Li said. The two leaders discussed the importance of achieving progress in negotiation of a U.S.

China is willing to work with all sides to make contributions to better address global challenges and promote world peace and development, the premier said upon his arrival.

The issue of refugees and migrants is a humanitarian crisis, testing human conscience, the premier said.

While noting that the issue of refugees and migrants is a global one that “no country can stay immune to”, the premier urged the worldwide community to “act strongly to respond”.

While paying attention to the refugee crisis in Europe, the same attention should go to Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, South Sudan and other countries, he added.

Li, accompanied by his wife Cheng Hong and other senior Chinese officials, arrived in NY as guest of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday.

Li is also scheduled to chair a symposium on sustainable development, attend the UN General Assembly’s high level meeting on solving the problem of mass movement of refugees and immigrants, and a leaders’ summit on refugee issues.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the restoration of China’s seat in the United Nations.

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For his part, Obama said economic relations are the stabilizing factor of US-China ties.

China announced $100 million in humanitarian aid'on top of previous pledges to address the world's biggest refugee crisis