People's Republic of China, 1982

First of all, Sir, I should like to con¬gratulate

you on your election to the presidency of the

thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly.

We hope that the current session will be crowned

with success under your presidency. I also wish

to thank Mr. Kittani for his contribution as

President of the thirty-sixth session.

76. On this occasion each year we gather here

to review major world issues of the day. We are

all concerned about the changes in the world

situation as a whole and we all follow the

developments in various countries. Before I

proceed to elaborate on China's views on current

world affairs, I would like to say something

about a recent event of major importance in the

political life of the Chinese people.

77. As representatives know, the Communist

Party of China held its Twelfth National Congress

in Bering earlier last month. This Congress was

an important milestone in the history of the

People' Republic of China. It summed up our

experience in achieving great successes over the

past six years. A grand program for China's

socialist modernization was put forward and new

central leading bodies of the party were elected.

China now enjoys political stability and unity

and its economy is growing steadily. It has

entered a new era in its efforts to create a new

situation in all fields of socialist

modernization. Under the leadership of the

Communist Party, the Chinese people are

determined to make gigantic efforts on the basis

of self-reliance in order to achieve, step by

step, modernization in industry, agriculture,

national defense and science and technology

before the turn of the century and transform

China into a culturally advanced and highly

democratic socialist country. We intend to blaze

a path of our own and build socialism with

Chinese characteristics. We know that this is

going to be an arduous task and will be no plain

sailing. But we are fully confident of achieving

our goal and of the bright future of our country.

78. In his report to the Twelfth National

Congress of the Communist Party of China, the

General Secretary of the Central Committee,

Comrade Hu Yaobang, has given a comprehensive and

profound explanation of China's foreign policy.

We adhere to an independent foreign policy. In

developing relations with other coun¬tries, we

are always guided by the five principles, namely,

mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial

integrity, mutual non-aggression,

non-interference in each other's internal

affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and

peaceful coexistence. More particularly, we will

unite with countries of the third world and join

hands with all other countries and forces working

for peace to combat hegemonism and maintain world

peace.

79. Our independent foreign policy proceeds

from the fundamental interests of the people of

China and the world as a whole. The founding of

the People's Republic of China has removed the

social causes of China's submission to foreign

aggression and those of any possibility that

China might commit aggression abroad. In the 33

years of the People's Republic, we have shown by

deeds that China never attaches itself to any big

Power or group of Powers, nor yields to pressure

from any big Power. We Chinese people cherish our

own independence and sovereign rights, which we

won only after protracted struggles. We are

firmly opposed to hegemonism. At the same time,

we declare to the whole world that under no

circumstances will China seek hegemony.

80. 8C. In our international relations we

have always abided by the five principles of

peaceful coexistence. Conforming to these

principles, our Government has established

co-operative relations of peace and friendship

with a great number of coun¬tries in the past

three decades and more, and settled many boundary

questions and other issues left over from

history. In the future we will continue to be

ready to solve outstanding issues in our

relations with some countries on the basis of the

same principles. The Chinese Government is

willing to develop normal relations with any

country as long as it truly respects China's independence,

sovereignty and territorial integrity, abides by

the principles of equality, mutual benefit and

mutual respect, and demonstrates by actual deeds

rather than hollow words that it is not hostile

to China and does not threaten China's security.

81. Our modernization program is based on the

principle of independence and self-reliance. At

the same time, we will continue to adhere firmly

to our policy of opening to the outside world. We

are ready to develop trade ties, economic

co-operation and scientific-technological

exchanges with all countries on the basis of

equality and mutual benefit.

82. The people of all countries eagerly

desire peace. China's modernization program can

be realized only in an international environment

of enduring peace and stability. In the common

interests of the people of the world, we are

ready to work together with all peace-loving

countries and peoples for the main¬tenance of

world peace and international security and for

the advancement of the cause of human progress.

83. There are many pressing issues of

universal concern on the agenda. Allow me to

state here the basic position and views of the

Chinese delegation.

84. First, on the question of maintaining

world peace and international security. The

international scene is far from being relaxed,

but has become more turbulent and tense during

the past year. While wars of aggression against

Kampuchea and Afghanistan have not ceased in

Asia, naked and savage aggression against the

Lebanese and Palestinian peoples has been going

on without let-up in the Middle East. In southern

Africa, the racists are wantonly carrying on

brutal repression, military occupation and armed

provocations. In Latin America, outside

intervention has exacerbated the turmoil in the

Caribbean region. Even the hitherto relatively

calm South Atlantic has witnessed a war of the

strong bullying the weak. Wrangling over the

deployment of intermediate- range nuclear weapons

have intensified the military confrontation in

Europe. Faced with a continued economic

recession, the developed countries are trying

hard to shift the consequences of their economic

crises on to others. This has badly hurt the

devel¬oping countries and added to their economic

woes. Stalemate on the question of global

negotiations has seriously hampered the

improvement of North- South relations.

Disarmament is another issue of universal

concern. Here again, no progress could be made,

owing to the intensified arms race between the

super-Powers. The recent second special session

on disarmament has been a disappointment. In

short, while the hitherto unresolved old issues

of the world have become more complicated, new

problems keep cropping up on the horizon. One

cannot but feel bravely concerned and disturbed

about the present international situation.

85. The menace to the peace and security of

the world today originates mainly from

imperialism, hegemonism and colonialism. The

quest for hegemony by the super-Powers and the

resultant global rivalry between them are the

main source of the unrest and turmoil in the

world. In their contention for spheres of

influence and world supremacy, the super-Powers

have accelerated the expansion of their armaments

and stepped up their strategic deployment. They

have openly or covertly subjected other countries

to their aggression, intervention or control by

direct or indirect use or threat of force. While

the focus of their global strategies remains in

Europe, the developments in recent years indicate

that the main sphere of con¬tention between the

super-Powers is in the third world. This fierce

rivalry has constantly rocked the world and

increased the danger of a world war. Therefore,

the overriding task of the people of the world is

to combat hegemonism and maintain international

peace. The heroic struggles waged by the peoples

of Afghanistan, Kampuchea and southern Africa and

by the Arab people against aggression demonstrate

that the people can, by means of unremitting

struggle, upset the super-Powers' strategic plans

and land the aggressors in deeper and deeper difficulties.

We are convinced that so long as the people of

the world are truly united and wage resolute

struggles, world peace can be preserved.

86. Secondly, on the question of safeguarding

the independence and the right to existence of

nations. Word peace and security can be

maintained only if the rights to independence and

existence of nations are firmly safeguarded.

These two aspects cannot be separated. The

question of Afghanistan and the question of

Kampuchea have not yet been settled and have

again been included in the agenda of the current

session. This is because the Soviet Union and

Soviet-supported Viet Nam have continued to

subject Afghanistan and Kampuchea under their

respective military occupation and refused thus

far to withdraw their aggressor troops there from.

87. Not long ago, the three Kampuchean

patriotic forces resisting Vietnamese aggression

agreed among themselves and formed the Coalition

Government of Democratic Kampuchea headed by

Prince Norodom Sihanouk. This Government enjoys

the support of the Kampuchean people as well as

international recog¬nition and endorsement. This

is an encouraging major development in the

Kampuchean situation. The Kam¬puchean people have

persevered and won important victories in their

war of resistance against Vietnamese aggression,

thus landing the aggressors in a deepening

quagmire. In order to extricate itself from this

predicament, Hanoi has resorted to trickeries. It

has launched a new "peace offensive" designed to

soften and divide the international forces

opposing Viet¬namese aggression against

Kampuchea. Viet Nam is the aggressor in Kampuchea

and the menace to the peace and security of

South-East Asia, and yet it has fabricated a

so-called China "threat" in an attempt to divert

public attention and spread confusion. But this

is completely futile. The five countries of ASEAN

and the great majority of the States Members of

the United Nations emphatically call for the

implemen¬tation of the relevant resolutions of

the General Assembly and the Declaration of the

International Conference on Kampuchea, which

demand the total withdrawal of Viet Nam's

aggressor troops from Kampuchea so that the

Kampuchean people may build a peaceful

democratic, neutral and non-aligned State of

national union free from any outside

interference. This demand is fully justified.

Since the question of Kampuchea has resulted from

Viet Nam's armed aggression, there can be no

genuine settlement of this question until Viet

Nam withdraws all its aggressor troops from

Kampuchea. Any "political solution" that accepts

the status quo created by Viet Nam's aggression

at the expense of Kampuchea's independence and

sovereignty would be contrary to the Charter of

the United Nations and the norms of international

relations and, therefore, are inadmissible.

88. The same applies to the question of

Afghanistan. The Afghan people have not been

cowed by their formidable enemy, but have fought

valiantly under the sacred banner of safeguarding

their national inde¬pendence and have frustrated

the aggressors' cherished plan of bringing the

war to a quick conclusion. Soviet armed

aggression against Afghanistan constitutes a

gross violation of the Charter of the United

Nations and a grave threat to peace in Asia and

the world. None of the pretexts put forward by

the Soviet Union to justify its continued

presence in Afghanistan is tenable. We maintain

that the resolutions adopted at three consecutive

sessions of the General Assembly calling for the

withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan

must be strictly implemented. The Soviet Union

must unconditionally pull out all its troops from

Afghanistan. The Afghan people should be allowed

to determine their own destiny free from any

outside interference. Afghanistan must regain the

status of an independent and non-aligned State.

That is the only feasible way to settle the

question of Afghanistan.

89. The situation in Lebanon has aroused

serious world-wide concern during the last few

months. How the Lebanese situation and the

Palestinian question are treated involves respect

for a State's independence, sovereignty and

territorial integrity and recognition of a

nation's rights to existence and

self-determination. This is also a question

bearing on peace in the Middle East and

international security as a whole. The Israeli

aggressors have flagrantly invaded and occupied

large tracts of Lebanese territory and attempted

to wipe out the Palestinian revolutionary armed

forces. They perfidiously entered Beirut again

and savagely massacred Palestinian and Lebanese

civilians. The United States cannot shirk its

responsibility for this since it has always

shielded and abetted the Israeli aggressors.

China joins all other countries in voicing strong

condemnation of the acts of aggression and the

inhuman atrocities committed by the Israeli

authorities. We firmly support the Palestinian,

Leba¬nese and other Arab peoples in their

struggle against Israeli aggression and expansion.

90. The question of Palestine is at the core

of the Middle East issue. Although the

Palestinian people have suffered a temporary

setback, their forces will never be wiped out

because they are fighting for a just cause. The

PLO is recognized by more than 100 coun¬tries as

the sole legitimate representative of the

Pales¬tinian people. Any proposal or formula

designed to exclude the PLO from the settlement

of the Middle East question would be wrong and

unworkable. The plan put forward at the Twelfth

Arab Summit Confer¬ence, held recently in Fez,

provides a good basis for a fair and reasonable

settlement of the questions of Palestine and the

Middle East. In our view, to achieve peace in the

Middle East, Israel must evacuate the Arab

territories it has occupied since 1967, including

.Jerusalem; the Pales¬tinian people must regain

their national rights, including the right to

return to their homeland, the right to

self-determination and the right to establish

their own State; and the rights to independence

and existence of all countries in the Middle East

should be respected.

91. The most urgent task now is to stop

Israel's aggression against Lebanon. The United

Nations and all the countries and peoples that

cherish peace and uphold justice should act

promptly and take effective measures to compel

Israel to withdraw all its troops from Lebanon

immediately and unconditionally.

92. In southern Africa, with the backing and

con¬nivance of a super-Power, the South African

authorities have intensified their racist

policies. They have continued their illegal

occupation of Namibia and made repeated armed

provocations against and military incursions into

neighbouring countries, thereby posing a direct

threat to the security and stability of the

region. People are deeply concerned about the

situation in southern Africa and, in particular,

about the inde¬pendence of Namibia, which will

affect the historical process of the final

liberation of the entire African continent. We

maintain that, in accordance with the relevant

resolutions of the United Nations, Namibia should

immediately achieve genuine national independence

on the basis of territorial integrity and

national unity; South Africa's apartheid system

should be completely abolished; and the

international community should apply effective

comprehensive sanctions against the South African

authorities. The Chinese people firmly support

-the just struggle of the African people,

particularly the Namibian and South African

people, until they win final victory,

93. The military conflict over the Malvinas

Islands earlier this year also aroused general

concern. The question of the Malvinas Islands

remains unsolved despite the termination of the

war. It is a reminder that although the cause of

national liberation has won great victories

throughout the world in the post-war period, the

process of decolonization has not yet been

completed. We support the request of Argentina

and other Latin American countries for

consideration of the question of the Malvinas

Islands at the current session of the General

Assembly. Argentina's claim to sovereignty over

the Malvinas Islands should be respected by the international

community. Together with other third-world

countries, we sincerely hope that the parties

concerned will seek a just and reason¬able

solution to this question by peaceful

negotiations.

94. I would now say a few words about the

Korean question. The Democratic People's Republic

of Korea has made important contributions towards

a reason¬able settlement of the Korean question

and the maintenance of peace in East Asia and the

Pacific region. The Chinese Government firmly

supports the positive proposals put forward by

the Government of the Democratic People's

Republic of Korea for the independent and

peaceful reunification of Korea. We firmly

support President Kim 11 Sung's proposal for

establishing a democratic confederal republic of

Koryo. We always hold that in order to achieve a

peaceful settlement of the Korean question the

"United Nations Command" must be dissolved

immediately in accordance with resolution 3390 B

(XXX) adopted at the thirtieth session of the

General Assembly, all United States military

forces must be withdrawn from South Korea, and

the Korean Armistice Agreement should be replaced

by a peace agreement through negotiations between

the parties concerned.

95. Thirdly, I turn to the subject of the

economy and development of the third-world

countries. At present, many third-world countries

are faced with deepening economic difficulties.

Certain m or developed countries have tried to

shift their own economic difficulties onto the

third-world countries and have cut back their

development assistance, thus further straining

North-South economic relations. The developing

countries have pressed for the launch¬ing of

global negotiations with a view to improving

North-South relations and establishing a new

inter¬national economic order. The General

Assembly has long since adopted a resolution

pertaining to this question and the Group of 77

has also put forward a reasonable draft

resolution. AH this has provided a constructive

basis for launching global negotiations as soon

as possible. The Inter¬national Meeting on

Co-operation and Development, which held at

Cancun in October 1981, gave expres¬sion to the

common desire of the great majority of nations

for the launching of global negotiations. At the

meeting, Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang gave clear-

cut support to the demand of the third world for

the establishment of a new international economic

order. Owing to obstruction by a major Power, no

agreement on the launching of global negotiations

has yet been reached. This state of affairs has

caused deep disap¬pointment and resentment among

developing coun¬tries and also among quite a few

developed countries.

96. The international community faces the

important task of improving North-South economic

relations through global negotiations. The

economies of all countries are closely

interrelated. The developed countries cannot

achieve economic growth without the rich

resources, vast markets and economic prosperity

of the developing countries. All countries,

whether rich or poor, North or South, must abide

by the principle of equality and mutual benefit

if they are to carry out fruitful economic

exchanges and co-oper¬ation. The existing

unreasonable, unfair and outdated international

economic order must be restructured. The

developed countries' economic aid to the

devel¬oping countries conforms to their own

interest and is by no means charity. This has

been recognized by more and more far-sighted

people in the West. We hope that at the current

session the Assembly will surmount obstacles and

make real progress towards the launching of

global negotiations.

97. While striving to improve North-South

relations, the third-world countries also exert

great efforts to promote "South-South"

co-operation among them¬selves. The developing

countries have industrious people, rich natural

resources and a vast market.

they share the common objective of developing

their national economies. There are unlimited

potentials for developing inner-third-world

co-operation. This will be highly beneficial.

This kind of co-operation is an important means

for the developing countries to strengthen their

self-reliance both individually and collectively.

It also has the vital strategic role of help¬ing

to break down the existing inequitable

international economic relationship and replace

it with a new inter¬national economic order.

98. The restructuring of the old

international economic order is a demand of the

times which the third-world countries are bound

to raise after they have won political

independence. Political independence cannot be

consolidated or sustained without economic

independence. Regardless of all the obstructions

from imperialism and hegemonism, the third-world

countries will persist in the just struggle to

restructure the old international economic order

until final victory.

99. The emergence of the third world in the

inter¬national arena after the Second World War

is an event of primary importance of our time. In

recent years the numerous countries of the third

world, united in a common struggle, have

effectively defended their national independence

and State sovereignty and made major

contributions towards restructuring the old

international economic order as well as

maintaining international peace and security.

Their joint struggle has, to a great extent,

changed the situation in which the super-Powers

could arbitrarily manipulate the destiny of the

world. Events show that unity means strength. We

are convinced that so long as we third-world

countries can seek a reasonable settlement of our

own differences and disputes through peaceful

consultations in a spirit of mutual understanding

and accommodation and of seeking common ground

while reserving the differences, and so long as

we can close our ranks and work for our common

cause, we will be better able to control our own

destiny and promote the progress of world

history. As a member of the third world, China

will continue to play its part by further

expanding its friendly co-operation with other

third-world countries and peoples.

100. Faced with increasing troubles and

turmoil on the world scene, one is entitled to

expect that the United Nations will uphold

justice and play a greater role in maintaining

world peace and inter¬national security and in

promoting the growth of the world economy.

However, events over a period of time indicate

that the role of the United Nations has been

eroding. This is chiefly because certain

countries have abused their veto power, bypassed

the United Nations on a number of issues or

refused to implement its resolutions.

101. In his report on the work of the

Organization, the Secretary-General has pointed

to the problems and difficulties confronting the

United Nations and has made some suggestions to

uphold the principles of the Charter which merit

our consideration. We appreciate and support the

efforts of the Secretary- General and also hope

that certain permanent members of the Security

Council will show a more co-operative approach.

We believe that, provided the over¬whelming

majority of the Member States make com¬mon

efforts to uphold the Charter and wage a resolute

struggle against any force that jeopardizes world

peace and international security, the

Organization will not disappoint the people of

the world, but will perform its noble duty of

maintaining world peace and pro¬moting human

progress, thereby fulfilling the historic mission

entrusted to it.