Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi gave a video address today entitled “Strongly Defend Multilateralism and Maintain the Correct Direction of Human Development and Progress” to a high-level meeting celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the United Nations. He praised the role of the UN in avoiding a new world war and in getting local wars under control.
He made five suggestions for the United Nations in its continued work. First, “uphold the core position of the United Nations.” “Multilateralism is the only option,” Wang said. Second, “uphold the principles and purposes of the UN Charter…. We must persist in the peaceful settlement of disputes and oppose the use or threat of force. We must abide by international laws and regulations, fulfill international obligations, and oppose unilateralism and bullying.” Third, “adhere to peaceful development.” Fourth, “adhere to win-win cooperation. “The United Nations should be more democratic, effective, and inclusive, and become a large stage where all countries, large and small, are equal, exchanges and learns from different civilizations, and countries with different systems work together, rather than a arena for conflicts and confrontations between nations and zero-sum games between great powers,” Wang said. And fifth, build a community with a shared future for mankind. “It is necessary to encourage all parties to earnestly establish a sense of community, unite and cooperate, watch and help each other, and work together to deal with various risks and challenges,” he said. “We must build a global partnership at the international and regional levels to jointly build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, tolerance, cleanliness and beauty.”
