Mr. Chairman,

The Chinese delegation fully supports the statement made by Pakistan on behalf of the G77 and China. We would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report to the General Assembly and thank the Special Rapporteur on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and relevant acts of intolerance for his introduction.

Racism is a form of grave violation of human rights. It is also one of the sources leading to discrimination, poverty and armed conflicts. It is a challenge confronting all members of the international community. Up to date, the United Nations has held three world conferences against racism, and has launched for three consecutive years "UN decade to combat racism and racial discrimination". The Durban Declaration and Program of Action adopted at the 2001 World Conference against Racism is a pivotal document for the international community in combating racism.

We support the General Assembly to start the Durban Review Process in 2009. It will not only help the international community to further clarify its goals, identify gaps in its work and strengthen coordination of actions, but also facilitate our efforts aimed at addressing and fighting racism and racial discrimination in their new forms. We call upon all parties to actively participate in the preparatory process of Durban Review.

Racism is a cancerous tumor in our society. We should make every effort to curb and remove it. The Chinese delegation takes note of the in-depth analysis on contemporary forms of racism and its negative impact by Special Rapporteur in his report and expresses our appreciation. We appeal to the international community to pay attention to the issue, to demonstrate their courage and determination by taking urgent and effective measure to eliminate racism. It will be a complicated process to eliminate racism. It needs not only the effort made by the individual state but also the cooperation among the international community, especially to provide financial and technical assistance to the developing countries to resolve the problems of poverty and development.

Mr. Chairman,

The right to national self-determination is an important human right. It is a solemn political right that all peoples are entitled to in their struggle against foreign aggression and interference, and in their efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, independence and human dignity. We appeal to the international community to implement the Charter of the United Nations and relevant principles of the international law in their totality, fully protect and promote the right to national self-determination and facilitate the harmonious advancement of peace, development and human rights. To this end, the Chinese delegation supports the Palestinian people in their relentless struggle for the right to self-determination. We hope that the international community plays a more active role in seeking a comprehensive and fair solution to the question of Palestine, so as to achieve lasting peace and stability in the Middle East at an early date.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.