People's Republic of China, 2001

Mr. President, first of all, please allow me to warmly

congratulate you on your election as President of the

fifty-sixth session of the United Nations General

Assembly. I am confident that under your able

guidance and with the close cooperation of all

delegates, this session will be crowned with success. I

would also like to take this opportunity to express my

sincere thanks to Mr. Holkeri for what he did as

President of the last session of the General Assembly.

A year ago, the United Nations convened the

historic Millennium Summit. The United Nations

Millennium Declaration issued by the Summit

identifies the objectives for promoting world peace and

development in the new century.

International developments over the past year

demonstrate that more and more countries have opted

for increasing dialogue and cooperation, preserving

world peace and seeking common development. To be

sure, the cause of human progress still involves a long

and arduous effort. Factors of uncertainty in the

international situation are on the rise. More efforts

should be made to democratize international relations,

and there has been no marked change in the irrational

international economic order.

Terrorism is a widespread scourge that threatens

world peace and stability. We strongly condemn the

terrorist attacks on the United States on 11 September,

and extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to

the families of the innocent victims, as well as to the

Government and the people of the United States. China

has always opposed all forms of terrorism. No matter

when, where or in what form terrorism strikes, and no

matter whom it is directed against, it should be met

with condemnation and responded to with counter-

strikes by the international community, which should

adopt a unified position on the matter.

China has taken an active part in international

cooperation against terrorism. In addition to joining

most of the international conventions against terrorism,

China has ratified the Shanghai Convention on

Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism,

concluded by the member States of the Shanghai

Cooperation Organization.

China is in favour of a primary role for the United

Nations and the Security Council in the international

effort against terrorism. China supports the relevant

resolutions that have been adopted and is in favour of

closer cooperation and coordination among the various

countries concerned to this end.

China strongly believes that any military action

against terrorism should have a clearly defined target

and avoid harming innocent people. All such actions

should be consistent with the purposes and principles

of the Charter of the United Nations and other

universally recognized norms of international law, and

should serve the long-term interests of peace in the

region and the world at large.

China believes that terrorism is a tiny fringe of

extreme evil, representing neither one particular ethnic

group nor one particular religion. They must not,

therefore, be lumped together. China, too, is threatened

by terrorism. The “Eastern Turkestan” terrorist forces

are trained, equipped and financed by international

terrorist organizations. The fight against the “Eastern

Turkestan” group is an important aspect of the

international fight against terrorism.

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In today’s world, the question of security is

becoming increasingly multifaceted and globalized.

Only enhanced international cooperation can help us

effectively cope with global security challenges and

bring about universal and lasting security. Countries

should endeavour to foster a new security concept,

based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and

collaboration. They should seek security through

mutual trust and pursue cooperation to their mutual

benefit so as to effectively reduce factors of insecurity.

The issue of arms control has always been closely

interrelated with that of security. In the face of the new

situation, we should go on working for the preservation

of the existing legal regime for international arms

control and disarmament and for the maintenance of

global strategic stability, without jeopardizing the

security of any country.

Tackling regional hot spots is vital to regional

and global security. We are following with deep

concern the current developments in the Middle East.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict that broke out in

September last year is continuing unabated. It poses a

grave threat to the Middle East peace process and to

regional stability. China supports the relevant United

Nations resolutions and the principle of land for peace.

It also supports the Palestinian people in their just

struggle to regain their legitimate national rights and

interests. We hope that the Israeli and Palestinian sides

will take constructive measures and closely coordinate

with the international community in its mediating

efforts so as to create conditions for easing the tension

and reactivating the peace process. China supports a

greater role for the Security Council in this respect.

We are concerned about the situation in South

Asia. Given the current complex situation, we hope

that the countries in the region will strengthen mutual

understanding and mutual trust and coexist in peace

and amity. As a neighbour of Afghanistan, we have

been following the changing Afghan situation closely.

We believe that, in order to find a solution to the

Afghan issue, the following principles should be

observed. First, the sovereignty, independence and

territorial integrity of Afghanistan should be ensured.

Secondly, the Afghan people should be allowed to

decide on a solution independently. Thirdly, the future

government in Afghanistan should be broad-based and

embody the interests of all ethnic groups in the

country; Afghanistan should live in amity with all

countries, particularly its neighbours. Fourthly, the

solution should serve peace and stability in the region.

Fifthly, the United Nations should play a more active

role.

Since the beginning of this year, the world

economy has clearly slowed down, and the situation

has been further aggravated by the incidents of 11

September. Developing countries are finding

themselves in increasingly dire straits. The

international community must act with a greater sense

of urgency and accord higher priority to development.

Developed countries should act more vigorously

to promote development. They should adopt effective

measures and make greater efforts to revitalize the

global economy. We hope that the developed countries

will demonstrate a broader vision and a cooperative

spirit in providing assistance to developing countries.

In recent years, anti-globalization activities in

many parts of the world have increased. In fact,

globalization is neither a panacea for development nor

a monster causing disaster. The appropriate response to

globalization should maximize its advantages and

minimize its disadvantages so that all countries can

come out winners and prosper side by side.

Globalization should benefit all people from all social

strata in all countries.

The United Nations has an irreplaceable role to

play in international cooperation in response to

globalization. It should increase its input in

development and work more effectively to fulfil the

development objectives set forth in the United Nations

Millennium Declaration.

China is supportive of the World Trade

Organization’s plans to launch a new round of

multilateral trade talks. It is our hope that the new

round will give full consideration to the concerns and

interests of the developing countries.

The Ninth Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

(APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting was held

successfully in October in Shanghai, China. The

meeting was convened at a critical moment, soon after

the incidents of 11 September, when prospects for the

global economy seemed grim. Focusing on the theme

“Meeting new challenges in the new century:

promoting common prosperity through participation

and cooperation”, the leaders conducted an in-depth

exchange of views and reached broad consensus.

Having boosted intra-APEC cooperation among the

20

members and reinforced their resolve to restore

economic growth, the meeting sent out a clear, positive

signal to markets throughout the world and took a

resolute step forward in advancing cooperation in the

Asia-Pacific region. The meeting will have a positive

and far-reaching impact on Asia-Pacific economic

cooperation.

President Jiang Zemin made clear to the world

China’s future objectives, guiding principles and

domestic and foreign policies in the important speech

that he delivered on 1 July this year. The principal task

for the Chinese people in the new century is to press

ahead with the modernization programme, work

towards the grand cause of national reunification,

safeguard world peace and promote common

development.

Indeed, the purpose of China’s foreign policy is

to safeguard world peace and promote common

development. China needs an environment of

friendship and good-neighbourliness and external

conditions of stability and prosperity. To achieve, and

safeguard, such an international environment serves

China’s national interests. It is also China’s duty as a

member of the international community.

We believe that all civilizations and social

systems in the world can, and should, exist side by side

on a long-term basis, complementing one another and

making progress together, in a spirit of seeking

common ground while putting aside differences.

We stand ready to engage in mutually beneficial

cooperation with all countries in the world on an equal

footing towards world peace and development, with the

aim of achieving common development. Our entry into

the World Trade Organization will usher in a

completely new phase of our opening-up process.

This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the

restoration of China’s lawful seat in the United

Nations. Tremendous changes have since taken place in

the world, in China and in the United Nations. China’s

commitment to the Charter of the United Nations,

however, remains unchanged. In the new century,

China will, as always, vigorously support the work of

the United Nations and continue to work together with

other Member States for a better world.