Chair,

China congratulates you on your election and will actively support you and the Bureau in your work. China aligns itself with the statement made by Russia on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations.

At present, the global decolonization process remains unfinished. The Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (2021–2030) is drawing to a close, yet the peoples of the 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories have not fully exercised their right to self-determination. At the same time, the pernicious legacy of colonialism has not disappeared with the end of military occupation. The international community urgently needs to take concrete actions to achieve substantive progress on the decolonization agenda. To this end, China wishes to put forward the following proposals.

First, we must accelerate the completion of the established decolonization tasks. China supports advancing the decolonization process of the 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories and supports the unremitting efforts of the peoples of these Territories to exercise their right to self-determination. We call on the administering Powers to earnestly fulfill their obligations under the UN Charter and relevant resolutions, take effective measures to promote local economic and social development, and refrain from delaying or obstructing the free choice of the peoples concerned. The international community should make full use of the plan of action for the Fourth International Decade, increase political commitment and capacity support, and ensure that it truly becomes the last decade for the eradication of colonialism.

Second, we must work together to reckon with the historical crimes of colonialism. China urges those countries that once pursued colonial rule or benefited from the colonial system to demonstrate political will, shoulder their historical responsibilities, and make reparations for the consequences of colonialism. At the same time, they should stop perpetuating the colonial mentality, oppose hegemonism and power politics, refrain from harming the interests of other countries or interfering in their internal affairs, and truly uphold the principles of sovereign equality and non-interference in internal affairs in international relations.

Third, we must earnestly uphold international fairness and justice. The UN Charter provides the fundamental guidance for eradicating colonialism and advancing decolonization. The Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples explicitly calls for colonialism in all its forms and manifestations to be brought to a speedy and unconditional end. Yet colonialism continues to inflict profound harm to this day, and the spirit of the Charter has yet to be fully implemented. China calls on the international community to return to the original purposes of the Charter, accelerate the decolonization process, eradicate the pernicious legacy of colonialism, and uphold international fairness and justice.

Chair,

The questions of the Malvinas Islands and Western Sahara are both historical legacies of colonialism. China firmly supports Argentina’s legitimate claim to sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands and has always advocated the settlement of territorial disputes between states through peaceful negotiations. We hope that the United Kingdom will respond positively to Argentina’s request, resume dialogue and negotiations at an early date, and find a peaceful, just, and lasting solution in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions. China has consistently maintained that the parties concerned on the question of Western Sahara should take the purposes and principles of the UN Charter as their fundamental guidance and relevant Security Council resolutions as an important basis, and, through consultations on an equal footing, reach a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable solution within the framework of international law, in particular relevant United Nations resolutions. China supports the efforts of the United Nations to this end.

Chair,

China suffered deeply from foreign aggression and colonial oppression in its history and knows full well that independence and dignity have not come easily. China stands ready to work with fellow member states, especially countries of the Global South, to jointly promote positive outcomes from the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism and together open up a better future for humanity.

Thank you, Chair.