China backs effort by UN to sustain multilateralism

Amid current global upheaval, the Chinese envoy to the United Nations said that unilateralism, bullying, protectionism and anti-globalization sentiments are eroding the very foundation of multilateralism and worsening the environment for international development cooperation.

"Sharing one global village, humankind rises and falls together. The only choice in front of us is to work together to combat this global crisis," said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN, in remarks Tuesday at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York.

COVID-19, the most serious outbreak of infectious disease in a century, is having a devastating impact on economic and social development, Zhang said.

"Facing the grave and complex situation, it is more important than ever to achieve common development and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," he said.

The forum, with the theme "Accelerated Action and Transformative Pathways: Realizing the Decade of Action and Delivery for Sustainable Development", reflected the urgency to implement the 2030 Agenda, Zhang said.

He called on all parties to take advantage of the inaugural year of the Decade of Action to "strengthen confidence and resolve, intensify actions, effectively combat COVID-19, promote sustainable and inclusive economic recovery and growth and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda".

As the UN is marking 75 years since its founding, Zhang said that the international community should firmly uphold multilateralism, abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, support the UN in playing a central role in international affairs and oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism.

Zhang underlined that solidarity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons for humankind to tackle global challenges and the only way to overcome difficulties and achieve common development.

Zhang also called for the international community to prioritize development in global macroeconomic-policy coordination and increase investment in order to offer sustained impetus to the cause of international development.

"We must put people at the center of our efforts," Zhang said, "and focus on major goals and targets of sustainable development including poverty reduction, hunger eradication, health, education, employment and infrastructure to ensure and enhance the well-being of the people."

Special attention should be given, he added, to the difficulties and challenges of developing countries in the midst of COVID-19 to help them recover better and faster.

Zhang then appealed to the gathering to remain committed to openness and inclusiveness to achieve "win-win cooperation".

"The international community should actively pursue an open world economy, uphold free trade and the multilateral trading system and ensure the stability of the global industrial and supply chains," he said.

In facing the novel coronavirus pandemic, Zhang said countries should take joint actions "to reduce tariffs, remove barriers and ensure unimpeded trade to strongly boost the confidence in economic recovery".

In his remarks, Zhang credited China's "people-centered approach" toward making "enormous efforts and progress" in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

This year, China will lift all its rural poor above the poverty line, achieve moderate prosperity and meet the 2030 Agenda's goals and targets of poverty reduction 10 years ahead of schedule.

Having brought the outbreak under control, China is working hard to promote recovery, minimize the impact and attain its poverty-reduction targets as scheduled.

Zhang said that President Xi Jinping has announced several important global initiatives, including: China will provide $2 billion in international aid over the next two years; China's coronavirus vaccine, once available, will serve as a global public good and benefit Africa first; China will work with other G20 members to implement the Debt Service Suspension Initiative for the poorest countries and call for further extension of debt relief; China will cancel interest-free government loans owed by African countries that will mature by the end of 2020 within the framework of the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation.