(Photo by Li Muzi, Xinhua News Agency)

I thank the French presidency of the Council for its initiative to convene this meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union. I listened attentively to the briefing of Her Excellency Ms. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

The United Nations is the most universal and representative international intergovernmental organization. In accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Cooperation between the United Nations and its Security Council with regional and subregional organizations in political, security and development areas is conducive to achieving the objectives of maintaining world peace and promoting common development.

The EU is an important partner of the United Nations. In recent years, the EU participated actively in settling the Iranian nuclear issue and on various hot spots in the Middle East and other regions, and has made a positive contribution to maintaining international peace and security. The EU has provided support to African Union (AU)-led peacekeeping operations, extended assistance to AU regional organizations and played a positive role in maintaining peace and stability in Africa, while promoting the continent's overall development.

The EU is a major force on the world stage. China encourages and supports the EU in continuing to play a constructive role in United Nations affairs. We believe that the cooperation between the EU and the United Nations and its Security Council needs to adhere to the following principles.

First, it must advocate the political settlement of hot-spot issues through dialogue, abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of countries and not interfere in States' internal affairs, and facilitate the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue, consultation, good offices, mediation and other diplomatic means.

Secondly, it must adhere to a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable concept of security. It must respect and ensure security for each country. It must adopt an integrated response to security in both traditional and non-traditional areas. It must promote security for all countries and regions through dialogue and cooperation. It must strike a balance between development and security in achieving lasting security.

Thirdly, it must respect the independent choice of countries to determine their own social systems and paths to development. It must abide by the principles of equality and mutual respect. It must be objective in its perspective of the historical, cultural and religious backgrounds of different countries and regions. It must be fair, objective and balanced in its evaluation of countries' human rights situations and facilitate constructive dialogue and cooperation.

Fourthly, it must generate synergy for the efforts of the United Nations to promote economic and social development. It must leverage the EU's comparative advantage and, in the light of the needs of developing countries, strengthen North-South cooperation and support developing countries in achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

China views and develops relations with the EU from a strategic, long-term perspective. China hopes that the EU will make a greater contribution to the achievement of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. China is ready to strengthen its interaction and cooperation with the EU in the framework of the United Nations, while continuously facilitating a greater role for the United Nations in international affairs and making joint efforts to forge a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation and a community of shared future for mankind.