Commentary
BEIJING – In the face of global challenges, China upholds multilateralism as embodied in international institutions such as the United Nations, pledging to promote a community with a shared future for mankind.
The UN was founded 75 years ago as a mechanism designed to promote peace, cooperation and stability worldwide. From the 75 years since its founding, China has always been a staunch builder, defender and practitioner of multilateralism.
“We should stay true to multilateralism and safeguard the international system with the UN at its core,” President Xi Jinping told the general debate of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in a message via video link from Beijing last week.
China was the first country to sign the UN charter, and has long adhered to global peace and development.
This is demonstrated by, among other things, the contribution of Chinese peacekeepers to UN peacekeeping missions worldwide over the last 30 years. China is the second largest contributor in terms of both peacekeeping assessment and UN membership fees.
Global problems require global solutions
As observed from the COVID-19 pandemic, global problems require global solutions. In response to the UN global humanitarian response plan against the pandemic, China twice donated funds to the World Health Organisation (WHO) amounting to US$50 million in total and is currently working to set up a global humanitarian response depot and hub in China to ensure the operation of supply chains amid the pandemic.
As Xi stated at the 2019 BRICS summit in Brasilia, the essence of multilateralism is that international affairs should be addressed through extensive consultation rather than decided by one country or by a few.
Countries should go forward together in a spirit of multilateralism, consultation and shared benefits. Also in this spirit, it is important that developing countries are given an increased voice in major global institutions.
According to Ruan Zongze, executive vice president of the Beijing-based China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), Xi’s speeches at recent UN high-level meetings have pointed out the need for the international community to join forces to meet common challenges.
Ruan said that in this new era of interconnectivity, countries should solve problems through solidarity and cooperation, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind, which is the very essence of multilateralism.
In the face of rising unilateralism and protectionism, as the only developing country which holds a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, China will continue to uphold multilateralism and promote a community with a shared future for mankind. – Xinhua
– Minor edits and subheading by The Macau Post Daily
