President,

I welcome Ms. Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to today's meeting. I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari for his briefing.

In this turbulent and rapidly changing world, multilateralism and international order are under severe strain. Humanity's cause of peace and development has reached a new crossroads. The European Union is an important strategic force internationally. China supports the cooperation between the UN and the EU, and looks forward to an EU with greater strategic autonomy, giving more impetus to the maintenance of world peace, stability, development, and prosperity. I would like to make a few points.

First, we advocate treating each other as equals. The world is a diverse place. It is only natural that countries have different histories, cultures, national conditions, and interests. We need to treat each other as equals, respect and trust each other, respect the development paths and institutional models chosen independently by people for their own countries, and respect each other's core interests and major concerns. It is important to uphold the golden rule of non-interference in the internal affairs of others and not attempt to be self-styled arbiters, judges, or lecturers. We need to encourage exchanges, mutual learning, and mutual enrichment among different civilizations, instead of drawing ideological lines, engaging in bloc confrontation, or forming all kinds of exclusive groupings.

Second, fairness and justice must be defended. Without fairness and justice, power politics will reign, and the law of the jungle will prevail. We must uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, have the courage to oppose all forms of hegemony and power politics, and have the courage to stand up for the weak and wronged in pursuit of justice. It is important to uphold the authority, integrity, and effectiveness of international law, strictly adhere to widely recognized international norms and jointly reached international agreements, and avoid double standards or selective application. The ins and outs of the current situation in the Middle East, as well as the rights and wrongs of the matter, are crystal clear. We hope that the EU will take an objective and impartial stance and play a greater and more constructive role in ending the conflict and restoring peace and stability in the region.

Third, it is imperative to safeguard common security. There is no so-called absolute security or exclusive security in the world. There is only mutual security and common security. History has repeatedly shown that military alliances do not necessarily provide true security guarantees. In the face of tensions and conflicts, we must remain committed to finding political solutions, facilitate dialogue and consultation with utmost patience and sincerity, take seriously and resolve the legitimate security concerns of all parties, and find the broadest common ground that accommodates the demands of all parties. The Ukraine crisis is on the European continent. All relevant countries should play a constructive role in bringing an end to the conflict and ushering peace, and should commit themselves to eliminating the root causes of the crisis on the basis of the full and complete adherence to the principles of the UN Charter, and work to establish a balanced, effective, and sustainable regional security architecture.

Fourth, we need to advance win-win cooperation. At present, international cooperation on development is under serious strain, and drivers for global economic growth are becoming weaker. We must place development at the center of the international agenda, continue to advance liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and work together to make bigger the pie of global economy and trade. Focused efforts are required to address imbalances in development, provide targeted assistance to developing countries in enhancing their own development capacities, and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We must strengthen international cooperation on science, technology, and innovation, strive to bridge the digital and intelligence divides, say no to building walls and barriers, oppose technological blockade, and jointly foster future-oriented engines of innovation and development. 

President,

China and the EU, as comprehensive strategic partners, are also two major forces for multipolarization, two big markets in support of globalization, and two major civilizations championing diversity. We have always attached great importance to developing our relations with the EU, supported the European integration, and welcomed Europe's continued autonomy, unity, stability, and prosperity. China stands ready to work with the EU and its member states to further deepen cooperation in the UN and beyond, and to make unremitting efforts together to safeguard world peace, promote common development, and improve global governance. 

Thank you.