Chair,

China congratulates you on your reelection as Chair of the Committee on Information. We are confident that the session will achieve positive outcomes. China thanks Secretary-General António Guterres for submitting the report on global communications to the Committee, and commends the work carried out by Under-Secretary-General Melissa Fleming and the Department of Global Communications over the past year. China aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of Uruguay on behalf of G77 and China. And we welcome North Macedonia to this Committee. 

As global challenges keep emerging and the geopolitical conflicts and instability intensify, the UN and multilateralism are facing daunting challenges. Amid the liquidity crisis, the DGC has kept pace with the times, undertaken reform and self-renewal, utilized the modern communications tools to focus on priority issues, including peace and security, SDGs, fighting disinformation, and addressing climate change, and presented through multilingual and multimedia channels the UN's work to the global audience, with positive results achieved. Regarding the DGC's future work, China wishes to suggest the following. 

First, enhancing mandate delivery capacity via reforms. The UN80 Initiatives is making steady headway. China welcomes the DGC's efforts to restructure itself and innovate its means of communications to improve efficiency and mandate delivery capacity. It is imperative to step up communication and coordination with Member States and ensure that the reform is transparent, inclusive, and constructive, thereby building the broadest possible consensus among Member States. It is essential to focus on the three pillars of the UN's work and concentrate resources on better communicating the Organization's core agenda.

Second, safeguarding the authority of UN news. The DGC has the responsibility and obligation to uphold journalistic professionalism, adhere to the principle of objectivity and neutrality, and disseminate fair and accurate news and information in a timely and comprehensive manner, thereby raising global awareness of the UN's role. There is a need to make proper use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, combat and resist dis- and misinformation in all its forms, and take the lead in fostering a healthy, upright, and constructive environment for public discourse. 

Third, putting multilingualism into action. This year marks the 80th anniversary of Chinese been designated as an official language of the United Nations. Not long ago, we held an event titled “Chinese Language, Shining Civilizations” in celebration of the UN Chinese Language Day, showcasing a beautiful vision of using language as a medium to jointly build a community with a shared future. As a core UN value, multilingualism embodies the diversity and equality of human civilizations. We hope the DGC will continue to improve Chinese language resources and staffing and address the inequality and imbalance in the use of the six official languages. 

Chair, 

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the UN. As a founding member of the UN and a permanent member of the Security Council, China has been a strong supporter of the UN's cause. China stands ready to work with all countries to revitalize the authority of the UN, promote the spirit of multilateralism, and advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. 

We are confident and hopeful that under your leadership and through the concerted efforts of all parties, the Committee will play a vital role in reviewing the UN global communications policies and activities. 

Thank you, Chair.