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Ambassador Zhang Jun: At a new starting point, we need to jointly create a better future shared by all

2020-05-08 04:56

On 8 May 2020, Ambassador Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China to the UN, attended the Arria Formula VTC on 75 Years since the End of the second World War in Europe and delivered a statement.

Ambassador Zhang Jun stated, today is an important day to commemorate. Seventy-five years ago, peace-loving countries and peoples fought side by side and liberated Europe from the iron heel of Nazi Germany, winning the great victory on the European soil. This is a victory of peace, a victory of justice, and a victory of the people.

During WWII, the war in China started the earliest and lasted the longest. Making huge sacrifice and suffering 35 million casualties, the Chinese people held ground in the Eastern Front, giving great support to the battles in Europe and the Pacific. China’s winning of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression made a historic contribution to the final victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.

Ambassador Zhang Jun emphasized, we commemorate the end of WWII, for the purpose of remembering history, cherishing peace and looking into the future. History cannot be denied. Forgetting history means betrayal. To this day, some countries still refuse to look at history squarely. Some even try to downplay, deny or whitewash the history of aggression, and some try to distort the history of WWII. This will not be tolerated by any country and people who stand for justice.

History cannot be forgotten. This is not to inherit hatred, but to learn from the past. The history of WWII teaches us that inciting populism is dangerous, isolationism leads to nowhere, and mere appeasement will eventually backfire.

History cannot be changed, but the future can be shaped. At a new historical starting point, we need to think deeply about how to better maintain world peace and security, promote development and prosperity, and create a better future shared by all.

We must uphold multilateralism. Multilateralism is a collective choice made by humanity at the cost of a world war. Thanks to multilateralism, mankind has enjoyed 75 years of peace and development. No country can make itself great in isolation. The United Nations is the product of the World War II. We need to uphold the UN-centered international system, maintain international order based on international law, and safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

We must follow a path of peaceful development. The world is undergoing major development, transformation and readjustment, but peace and development remains the call of our time. It is the shared expectation and in the interests of all peoples. The international community should work for a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation. We need to adopt a people-centered approach in development, facilitate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and promote lasting peace through sustainable development, to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind.

We must resolve disputes through peaceful means. The world today is an interconnected community, and we are all on the same boat. All countries should prioritize dialogue and consultation, build trust and promote cooperation, so as to resolve differences and disputes peacefully. We must oppose willful use or threat of use of force, power politics and all forms of hegemony and bullying practice.

Ambassador Zhang Jun pointed out that, at present the world is facing a war against COVID-19. The virus is our common enemy, and solidarity and multilateral cooperation is the most powerful weapon. To win this war, we must stand in solidarity, support the United Nations and WHO in playing a leading and central role, and form synergy in our efforts. Governments of all countries should shoulder responsibilities, put people first, respect science, and take all necessary measures to protect lives and health. We must firmly oppose politicizing the pandemic, spreading misinformation and lies, or shrugging off one’s own responsibilities for political gains. We must help each other and provide all necessary support to countries and peoples in need. China has provided and is providing medical supplies to over 150 countries and international organizations, and will continue to help.

WWII may be the last world war we have to face, but COVID-19 will not be the last pandemic. Stronger and better multilateral cooperation is key to winning the battle. Now more than ever, it is a lesson that we cannot afford to ignore.

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