On September 26, Ambassador Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, briefed the media on Vice President Han Zheng’s attendance at the General Debate of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly and high-level events. 

Talking about the reform of the UN and its direction, Ambassador Zhang said that the UN is composed of Member States, and the UN’s problems are fundamentally the problems of Member States. To reform the Organization and promote UN’s progress, Member States must first change their mindset.

First is to follow the right direction. The most important lesson that the changing international situation has taught us is that the future of everyone is interconnected. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the vision of a community with a shared future for humankind proposed by President Xi Jinping. This important concept points the way forward for the world standing at a historical crossroads. If the UN is to be reformed and improved, it must move forward in the right direction towards building a community with a shared future for humankind by upholding common security, promoting common development, and building a common future.

Second is to uphold solidarity and cooperation. The strength of the UN comes from the solidarity of Member States. In order to enhance the operational capacity of the Organization, we must unequivocally oppose bloc confrontation, power politics, or double standards, and say no to any acts that undermine solidarity and trust.

Third is to be action-oriented. Secretary-General Guterres has repeatedly emphasized that what the world needs most is action, which I cannot agree more. For issues on which there is broad consensus, such as the SDGs implementation, the response to climate change, and the acceleration of the reform of international financial architecture, the UN should play an effective role in coordination, and make real efforts to shoulder its responsibilities through actions.

Speaking of China’s cooperation with the UN, Ambassador Zhang said that China’s participation in and support for the UN have always been reflected in concrete actions. If needed, I could make a long list of data, facts, and outcomes. During his meeting with Vice President Han Zheng, Secretary-General Guterres once again thanked China for its steadfast support for the UN. The Secretary-General spoke highly of the important initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping, and looked forward to China leading the world in the right direction. This fully reflects China’s unique contributions to the UN.

Ambassador Zhang said that next month, Secretary-General Guterres will attend upon invitation the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and meet with Chinese leaders. the BRI, over the past decade since it was proposed, has built a new platform for the international community to address challenges, created new opportunities for countries to pursue common development, and provided a new driving force for improving global governance. Secretary-General Guterres attended both the previous BRI forums and will soon attend the third one. This speaks volumes about China’s close cooperation with the UN. No matter how the international situation may change, China will always be a firm supporter, pacesetter, and promoter for multilateralism. Our support for the UN is consistent, enduring, and reliable. China is a trustworthy partner of the UN.