UNITED NATIONS (Xinhua) Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, on Tuesday called on the international community to revitalize multilateralism to maintain international peace and security.
He made the appeal at a UN Security Council open debate on multilateralism and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
“Countries must respect each other’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, take seriously each other’s legitimate security concerns, resolve differences through mutual understanding and accommodation, and move toward greater consensus through dialogue and engagement,” Fu said.
The international community, particularly major countries, should build bridges for dialogue and cooperation rather than stoke or fuel the flames and instigate confrontation, he added.
Fu said that the UN Charter is the unshakable bedrock of the international order, and that it is not an a la carte menu. The international community must reject the law of the jungle, where more powerful nations bully weaker ones, he said. “We must adhere to the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, and peaceful settlement of disputes,” he added.
The Security Council shoulders the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. Council members should rise above self-interests, prioritize the common good, abandon geopolitical calculations, and seek unity and cooperation, said Fu.
Security Council resolutions are legally binding and must be implemented in both letter and spirit, he said, adding that selective application and double standards must be rejected.
Most countries of the Global South have suffered invasion, colonization and plunder, and thus deeply understand the value of peace, Fu said. They represent a stabilizing, constructive and progressive force amid the tectonic changes in the world, he said.
Fu called for support for regional organizations like the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the Arab League in deepening their partnerships with the UN and playing leading roles in resolving regional conflicts.
China remains ready to work with the international community to uphold true multilateralism and build a community with a shared future for humanity, he said.
