China gifts to the UN

President Xi Jinping and first lady Peng Liyuan presented a gift from China to the United Nations at a ceremony with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at UN headquarters in New York on Sunday.

Xi said the gift - called Zun of Peace - was to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the UN.

The Zun, or vase, was inspired by ancient traditional Chinese bronze ware and carried to the UN best wishes from more than 1.3 billion Chinese people, Xi said.

Xi explained that the gift not only expressed China's long history and modern civilization, but also embodied the mutual learning and tolerance between different civilizations and cultures, which stimulates social progress and development.

The Zun of Peace conveyed the Chinese people's desire for and belief in peace, development and cooperation for win-win outcomes, which is consistent with the spirit of the United Nations Charter, Xi said.

In the coming decades, China looks forward to working with other nations to achieve the UN's dream, Xi said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the gift represents the common values and close cooperative relationship between China and the UN. He thanked China for its contributions towards world peace and development.

Ban said the UN was eager to continue strengthening its cooperation with China in realizing the Millennium Development Goals, reducing world poverty and tackling climate change.

The Zun of Peace was created using the cloisonn technique, an art form regarded to be part of China's intangible cultural heritage.

Using "Chinese red" as the main color, the vase is decorated with dragon ornamentation on top, symbolizing the quest for peace, and elephant heads and phoenix ornaments on both sides, representing social harmony and people's well-being.

The body of the vessel is decorated with traditional Chinese auspicious patterns, with elements of the Silk Road inserted, bearing the concepts of peaceful development, exchange and cooperation.

There are also seven doves representing the 70 years that the UN has been fighting for world peace.

Hong Xiao in New York contributed to this story.