UNITED NATIONS - The Group of Friends of Global Governance was officially established at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday.

Representatives from nearly 40 founding member states of the group attended the launch meeting, which was chaired by Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

Guided by the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) proposed at the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Plus" Meeting in September, China has promoted the establishment of the Group of Friends of Global Governance, said Fu in his remarks.

China hopes to join hands with all partners to deepen exchanges and cooperation on major global governance issues, pool collective strength, uphold the banner of multilateralism, and work together for a future of fairness, he said.

The Group of Friends of Global Governance is open to all UN member states, welcomes more like-minded countries on board, and encourages members to strengthen engagement and cooperation with other countries, the UN secretariat, and relevant international organizations, he added.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the Group of Friends of Global Governance said its establishment marks a significant step in implementing the GGI, and provides an inclusive platform that draws on collective wisdom and mobilizes joint efforts for reforming and improving the global governance system.

READ MORE: China urges Group of Friends of Neutrality members to reform global governance

"Through this Group, we commit to deepening dialogue and coordination on global governance issues, engaging with relevant stakeholders, amplifying our collective voice, building and expanding consensus, and delivering concrete outcomes that respond to the yearnings of our peoples and the legitimate aspirations of our nations," it said.