BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for accelerating efforts to foster a green way of development and securing a win-win of economic growth and environmental protection.

Addressing the leaders' summit of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity via video link in Beijing, Xi called a sound ecology and environment "not just a natural asset, but also an economic asset."

Xi urged efforts to ensure harmonious coexistence between man and Nature.

Noting that the COVID-19 pandemic has cast a shadow over global development and compounded challenges to the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Xi said developing countries in the face of the dual tasks of economic recovery and environmental protection "need help and support all the more."

"We need to strengthen solidarity to overcome difficulties and let people across countries benefit more and in a fairer way from development outcomes and a sound environment," Xi said.

"We are living in an era both fraught with challenges and full of hopes," Xi said. "As long as we press ahead with perseverance, a bright future will beckon."