"Thousands of beautiful silk rolls have been unrolled in the year of Dog; hundreds of steps will be climbed in the Year of Pig."

 

Quoting the Chinese New Year couplet, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing aroused laughter yesterday at the China-UN New Year Party at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

 

But China's pledge to support the UN in its efforts to maintain peace and security and promote international human rights was taken seriously.

 

"China supports the UN in playing the leading role in upholding global peace and security and its advocacy of dialogue and cooperation and opposition to willful resort to pressure or force," Li told representatives and staff of the UN and other international organizations in China.

 

While China shores up the world organization in "playing its due role in promoting international human rights," Li also emphasized China's hope that the UN's new Human Rights Council would endeavor to enhance constructive cooperation and steer clear of political confrontation.

 

He said China was a "staunch supporter of the multilateral system with the UN at the core," which shoulders the task "to realize the goal of human society to achieve enduring peace and common prosperity."

 

The task is all the more important as "mankind faces rare opportunities for development, but is also confronted with many threats and challenges," Li said, adding that "more than ever before, the world needs a strong UN in the new era."

 

Furthermore, China believes in "strengthening the UN's authority and role, and improving its capacity to respond to threats and challenges through necessary and proper reform," he said.

 

Highlighting China's confidence in the future of the UN and of multilateralism, Li also stressed that a priority should be given to development in the UN's reform.

 

"China supports the UN in making a greater contribution to promoting common development, and in its efforts to strengthen development mechanisms, and ensuring development resources," Li said.

 

The Chinese foreign minister also thanked the UN and its agencies for their work in China.

 

"As a developing country, China still faces many challenges in development," he said. "I am sure we can continue to count on the support and assistance from the UN agencies represented here today and the international community."

 

China's support and cooperation with the UN is recognized, Khalid Malik, UN Resident Coordinator, said in his remarks.

 

He cited China's leadership in promoting international cooperation and providing relief efforts to disaster-hit countries.

 

Ban Ki-moon, UN secretary-general designate, said last Friday that he would cooperate with China in fostering peace, security and development and enhance human rights, according to a report by Xinhua.

 

In an interview with reporters from Asian media organizations, Ban said he was very pleased to see that China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and an important member state of the United Nations, had played an increasing role in international affairs, not only in Northeast Asia, but across the world.

 

China has also played a very constructive role in many regional issues, including the six-party talks to resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

 

With rapid political, economic and social development, China has been gaining the respect of the international community, Ban said.

 

"I expect, as secretary-general of the United Nations, that China will continue to play an important and constructive role in international politics, as well as in development strategy for the developing countries," he said.

 

(China Daily December 20, 2006)