China offers path for UN's future

Observers welcome President Xi's call for firm stance on justice, promotion of cooperation

The 75-year-old United Nations is in dire need of more wisdom and tangible efforts, and China has played a powerful role in this regard in helping to bolster the organization against the lingering headwinds of unilateralism, officials and experts said.

They made the observation when they highlighted and welcomed the four-point proposal raised by President Xi Jinping during a video speech at a high-level meeting held by UN member states on Monday to commemorate the UN's 75th anniversary.

In response to questions of what kind of UN is needed for the world and how the organization should play its role in the post-COVID era, Xi came up with the four-point proposal that the UN must stand firm for justice, uphold the rule of law, promote cooperation and focus on real action.

Even less should one be allowed to do whatever it likes and be the hegemon, bully or boss of the world, Xi said, adding that it is imperative that the representation and voice of developing countries be increased.

Speaking on upholding the rule of law, Xi said "big countries should lead by example in advocating and upholding the international rule of law and in honoring their commitments", and "there must be no practice of exceptionalism or double standards".

All countries should "replace conflict with dialogue, coercion with consultation and zero-sum with win-win" to better promote cooperation, Xi said.

"There must be a cure, not just a therapy," Xi said, adding that the UN should aim at problem solving and move toward tangible outcomes as it advances security, development and human rights in parallel.

The event Xi addressed was themed "The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism".

The 75 years since the founding of the UN have seen dramatic progress in human society, as well as profound changes in the international situation, and the period has also witnessed rapid development of multilateralism, Xi said.

Zhang Jun, ambassador and China's permanent representative to the United Nations, noted that in a first for the UN, the heads of state of more than 180 countries, including China, addressed the meeting in New York via pre-recorded messages.

"The future development path of the UN will not be smooth, but we have reason to believe that with China's strong support and the joint efforts of all countries, the UN will continue to play an important role in maintaining world peace and promoting common development," Zhang said, adding that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke highly of China's support and role.

Eric Heikkila, a professor in the Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California and author of China From a US Policy Perspective, emphasized the importance of nations committing to the UN and working together.

"The United Nations was created in the aftermath of a terrible war that had engulfed much of the world and left the prior international order in ruins. Now, 75 years later, much has changed, but the need for a just and effective international order has not diminished," Heikkila said.

"It is the responsibility of each nation to renew its commitment to the principles of the UN or to work constructively, in partnership with others, to replace it with something better," he added.

Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry, said Xi's four-point proposal sent a clear signal that China will firmly safeguard the international system with the UN at its core, will firmly safeguard the international order based on international law, and will firmly safeguard the role of the UN as the core in international affairs.

China will always be a practitioner of multilateralism, proactively participate in the reform and construction of the global governance system, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Wang told a daily news conference in Beijing on Tuesday.

Experts said China has a bigger role to play in fostering the organization's key initiatives while promoting peace among nations at a crucial juncture.

Christopher Bovis, a professor of international business law at the University of Hull in the United Kingdom, said, "China's political and economic leadership has already earmarked a number of features which focus on promoting globalization, from a different facet."

"The Chinese government has heralded its impetus to global economic progress by the application of a responsive and responsible political and economic leadership which must insist on the need to promote sustainable development," Bovis said.