China's Prez Xi hails 50 yrs at UN; 'Global community must address vital issues together'

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, October 25 marked the country's 50 years of membership in the United Nations with a speech calling for greater global cooperation. Xi Jinping asserted that the global community needs to work together in order to address issues like terrorism, climate change, cybersecurity and biosecurity with "effective multilateral mechanisms," as per a statement released by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. China's President highlighted that the country has always followed a foreign policy of peace and has opposed "hegemony and power politics". 

China celebrates 50 years at UN

Xi Jinping called the "decision to restore all rights of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations" and recognition of representatives of the Chinese government as the "only legitimate representatives" of the country as a "victory for the Chinese people and a victory for people of the world," according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He added that the restoration of New China's lawful seat in the UN was "momentous" for the entire world and the UN. In his speech, Xi Jinping stated that for the last 50 years, the people of the country have upheld the "authority and sanctity of the United Nations."

Xi Jinping did not mention Taiwan in his speech. It is worth mentioning that Taiwan was expelled by the UN when China joined the global body in 1971. Highlighting the efforts of China during the COVID-19 pandemic, Xi Jinping said that the country has been active in sharing its COVID-19 response experience with the world, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Furthermore, he stated that China had sent large quantities of vaccines and medicines with other countries in the fight against COVID. He added that they cooperated on COVID-19 origins tracing. 

In his speech, Xi Jinping underscored that they should advocate "peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom." He stated that they should uphold the authority of the UN and work together to practise "multilateralism". Moreover, the Chinese president stated that the countries need to "uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core" and the basic rules of international relations need to be followed based on principles of the UN Charter. He also expressed concern over climate change and added that countries need to make efforts to protect nature. Jinping asserted that they need to encourage 
"green recovery, green production and green consumption." 

Image: AP