Mr. Chairman,

The Chinese delegation thanks Mr. Sessi, the Chairman of the Committee on Contributions (COC) and Mr. Sach, the Controller for the introduction of relevant documents. We wish to register our appreciations to the COC for the outstanding work performed at its sixty-fifth session. My delegation agrees to the statement made by the Representative of Jamaica on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. I would like to outline here the Chinese delegation's opinion on some of the issues covered in the Committee's report.

On the methodology for preparing the scale of assessments, we are of the view that the current methodology is comprised of several important elements. These essential elements together constitute the system underlying our scale methodology. The current scale methodology has not come by easily. The result of long hours of hard negotiations, it is a compromise reached by the entire UN membership on the basis of the principle of capacity to pay and after incorporating the positions of all Member States and taking into account various factors. Therefore, minimizing uncertainties by maintaining the stability of the scale methodology and the predictability of the scale of assessments is vital to ensuring the normal operation of the United Nations and all agencies within the UN system.

Years of practice have shown that the principle of capacity to pay is the basic principle on which the apportionment of the expenses of the Organization is based. It is also the principle that has withstood the test of time and conforms to the interests of the large majority of Member States. The deliberations on the scale of assessments should be guided by this principle. Since the scale of assessments of all UN Member States is determined by the General Assembly, any adjustments or changes to the scale can only be made through consensus by the GA. We would like to reiterate again that all Member States should honor their commitment under the UN Charter to pay their assessed contributions in full, on time and without conditions.

We have noted that some Member States, particularly those from the developing world, have expressed concern over the excessive increases in their shares of assessed contributions. Similarly, China's share of contributions for 2004-2006 jumped by 35.18% over that of the previous triennium. Our position is that so long as the assessed contributions have been worked out according to the current methodology, China will willingly accept the result of the calculation, whatever it is. Meanwhile, we have full understanding of and sympathy for the concern voiced by some developing countries. If the excessive increases in their assessed contributions have entailed economic burden for these counties, some special adjustments may be considered, such as the mitigation measures adopted when we discussed the scale of assessments for 2004-2006 two years ago. Additionally, we have noted in this connection what is stated in paragraph 49 of the COC report. It mentions a systematic measure to phase in large scale-to-scale increases over the scale period. We would like to know more and in greater detail about these measures from Committee on Contributions. But whatever the case, our understanding is that the adjustments for excessive increases in the scale are based on an adhoc and exceptional basis in addition to those measures provided by the current methodology.

As for the annual recalculation of the scale of assessments, the Chinese delegation believes that this issue should be treated with caution, as this is not a simple question of calculation. Rather, it would lead to annual renegotiation of the scale of assessments, which would consume a huge amount of energy and time of the Member States and undermine the stability and predictability of the scale.

To conclude, the Chinese delegation expects the COC to continue to offer expert advice and recommendations on future scale of assessments in keeping with the relevant rules of procedure and mandate of the General Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.