People's Republic of China, 2003

Please allow me warmly to congratulate Mr. Hunte, on

his assumption of the presidency of the General

Assembly at its fifty-eighth session. I would also like

to thank Mr. Jan Kavan for his valuable contribution as

President of the General Assembly at its last session.

I also take this opportunity to express my

heartfelt condolences on the recent tragic deaths in

Baghdad of Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, Special

Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, and

other United Nations staff members.

The twenty-first century is about to complete its

third year, with hope and distress coexisting side by

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side. Peace and development remain the overriding

themes of the times and the shared aspirations of

people of all races, colours and nationalities. The

concept of democracy and equality has planted deep

roots in the hearts of the people. The shared

confrontation of global challenges through stronger

coordination and cooperation has become the

consensus of the international community.

Countries are increasingly closer in their

economic relations. Advanced means of

communications have made it possible to share

information in real time. With their interests closely

connected and intertwined, countries are finding

themselves more and more like passengers in the same

boat. Regional cooperation has grown substantially in

both depth and scope, with cooperation mechanisms

taking shape at various levels. Regional economic

integration is forging ahead in many parts of the world.

There are, however, many worrisome aspects of

the international situation. Local wars and conflicts

continue to emerge sporadically. Although the Iraq war

is over, peace remains elusive, with no end of suffering

in sight for the Iraqi people. With the situation between

Israel and Palestine still experiencing ups and downs,

the Middle East peace process remains a long, uphill

journey. In Africa, wars are still raging in some

countries.

Non-traditional security concerns such as

terrorism, drug-trafficking, arms proliferation, the

spread of diseases and environmental degradation have

become more pronounced. Given modern conditions,

they can easily spread within regions or even across the

world, making the security situation of human

communities even more complicated.

Humankind still confronts severe challenges in its

development. In the past 30 years, the number of least

developed countries has doubled, reaching 50, which

accounts for one quarter of the United Nations

membership. The ever-widening gap between the North

and South and the aggravated disparity between the

rich and the poor have become a major factor breeding

new conflicts and wars and undermining regional

stability.

At a moment like this, people are inevitably

pondering the same question: in the interest of world

peace and common development, what kind of new

world order should we establish in the twenty-first

century?

China is of the view that the future well-being of

humankind hinges on closer international cooperation

and a multipolar world. We should promote democracy

in international relations. Multipolarization does not

mean back-pedalling into the age of spheres of

influence or a replay of the now long-gone rivalry of

major Powers. It simply means bringing about a new

regime of international relations under which all

countries — big or small, rich or poor, strong or

weak — are treated as equals, and under which no

country has the right to impose its will on others.

We should cultivate a new security concept based

on the principles of mutual trust, mutual benefit,

equality and cooperation. Security should be

maintained through cooperation, and disputes should

be resolved peacefully through dialogue. The frequent

use of force and the threat of its use should be avoided.

The practice of building one’s own security at the

expense of others should be rejected.

We should support diversity in the process of

development. Our world is a place of many colours and

styles. A single musical note cannot make a melody,

nor does a phonetic alphabet make a language. Human

wisdom has produced so many civilizations, allowing

us to follow different paths of development and a

variety of values. It is through the exchanges,

emulations and integrations of diverse cultures that

human reason and wisdom shine brilliantly.

We should dedicate ourselves to the

empowerment of developing countries in their large

numbers. The developing countries, which make up

three quarters of the world’s population, should

become a key pillar of a multipolar world. Without

their extensive participation on an equal footing, there

will be no democracy in international relations or a fair

and rational world order. Without their economic

revitalization, there can be no common development of

all humankind to speak of.

We should step up multilateral cooperation.

Multilateral cooperation in various forms should

become the principal vehicle in the handling of

international affairs. Countries should join hands in

taking on global challenges through globalized

cooperation.

In a multipolar world, countries should respect

and consult with one another politically, strive for

common development by helping one another

economically, prosper together by drawing on one

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another’s cultural strengths and jointly maintain

security through mutual trust, thus working hand in

hand to realize the peace and prosperity of humankind.

More than half a century ago, our forefathers

gathered to give birth to the United Nations. The past

58 years have seen the Organization’s notable

accomplishments in preserving peace in regions and

around the world and in promoting human development

and progress. The spirit of the United Nations

Charter — characterized by such words as “to live

together in peace with one another as good neighbours”

and “to promote social progress and better standards of

life in large freedom” — has been widely accepted in

the international community.

The United Nations has become the most

universal, most representative and most authoritative

international organization in the world today. This is

what history affirms and what reality mandates.

China maintains that in the current situation the

purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter

should be adhered to and earnestly abided by with a

view to realizing democracy, the rule of law in

international relations and the mutually advantageous

coexistence of the countries of the world.

In handling affairs affecting regional or

international peace, all Member States are obliged to

maintain the leading role and authority of the United

Nations and its Security Council. China is in favour of

an important role for the United Nations in Iraq’s post-

war arrangements and reconstruction and supports the

restoration of sovereignty to the Iraqi people at an early

date.

China also supports the United Nations carrying

out the necessary reforms to enhance its role and

effectiveness in the light of changing circumstances.

The United Nations is a microcosm of our world.

The world’s hope rests on a strong United Nations. In

order to build a better future for humankind, it is

incumbent upon us first to turn the United Nations into

a forum for cooperation instead of an arena of

recrimination. No country is entirely populated by

saints and therefore no country should have the right to

throw the stones of prejudice.

To that end, we should forsake all the old

baggage of arrogance, estrangement and narrow-

mindedness and let harmony, understanding and

tolerance ring out loudly as the undiminished themes of

this great Hall. The ocean is made great by all the

rivers it takes in. Let that be the motto of all Member

States.

Development is the foundation for world peace

and human progress. We stand for stronger

international cooperation and the achievement of

common development.

The current state of affairs — in which the gap

between the North and the South has been widening

without pause, with some countries of the South

languishing in dire poverty — must be changed without

further delay. The key lies in establishing a fair and

equitable new world economic order in response to the

requirements of economic globalization.

An open and fair multilateral trading regime

should be established and improved. The principles of

mutual understanding and mutual accommodation

should be followed to bring about due progress in

multilateral trade talks. Close attention should be given

to reforming and improving the international financial

system, setting up a financial early-warning mechanism

and enhancing the capacity of countries to prevent and

deal with financial crises.

Stronger South-South cooperation and North-

South exchanges should be promoted. The developing

countries should step up their cooperation and

coordination and gradually change their

disadvantageous position in the economic globalization

process. This coming December, the second ministerial

conference of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum

will be held in Addis Ababa, where the two sides will

work together to deepen their equality-based and

mutually beneficial cooperation and open up a new

horizon in South-South cooperation.

The developed countries should also shoulder

their duties and responsibilities by giving greater

support to the developing countries in the areas of

market access, funding, technology transfer, debt relief

and trade terms.

All human communities make an organic whole

when it comes to development. When hundreds of

millions of fellow human beings are suffering from

cold and hunger, the rich countries should not nor

cannot enjoy their riches by themselves for long. The

striking contrast in wealth is eroding the very dignity

that all human beings share. Upon the monstrous gap

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between the North and South cannot stand the great

edifice of future prosperity.

While addressing the development issue, it is

necessary to highlight the need for a harmonious

development of the economy and society.

At present, humankind’s further development is

being increasingly hampered by excessive population

growth, environmental degradation, energy depletion,

the decline and demise of indigenous cultures, and

other constraints. Sustainable development can be truly

realized only when there is harmony, mutual

complementarity and mutual promotion between the

economy and society, and between their development

and nature.

In the first half of the year, SARS struck a

number of regions and countries, which testifies yet

again to the crucial importance of public health in the

context of development. While countries should

strengthen their public health systems, the world in

general should enhance its capacity to deal with major

diseases and disasters through an improved globalized

contingency response mechanism.

The Chinese Government supports the proposal

made by the World Health Organization (WHO) and

certain countries at the fifty-sixth World Health

Assembly for the establishment of a global fund

against SARS and is ready to contribute to it. We call

on all countries to support the United Nations in its

relevant activities, including incorporating public

health into United Nations development programmes

and other action plans and promoting regional and

international cooperation in this regard.

Last fall, the Communist Party of China convened

its 16th National Congress, which called for the

building, during the first two decades of the twenty-

first century, of a society that is well off in all respects.

This past spring, a new Chinese Central Government

was elected at the 10th National People’s Congress —

thus a smooth leadership transition was realized.

In the first half of the year, the people of China

put up a heroic fight against SARS and won a

resounding victory. Many friendly countries and

personalities in the world, together with the World

Health Organization and other United Nations

agencies, have rendered us valuable support and

assistance, for which I wish to express our heartfelt

gratitude.

China has kept its economic growth in high gear.

The first two quarters saw the nation’s gross domestic

product grow by 8.2 per cent over the corresponding

period of last year, and foreign trade grow by 39 per

cent. China’s economic efficiency has improved

markedly, and its reforms on all fronts are progressing

in an orderly way.

Needless to say, China is a developing country. It

still has a long way to go before all its citizens can live

a comfortable, even affluent life. Development,

therefore, remains China’s top priority.

China’s development requires a peaceful

international and surrounding environment. We will

continue to pursue an independent foreign policy of

peace and will seek to play a constructive role in

regional and international affairs.

China will continue to push for friendship and

good-neighbourliness in the interest of peace and

tranquillity in the region. Based on our support for a

nuclear-free Korean peninsula on which peace and

stability should be maintained, we initiated and

sponsored the three-party Beijing talks and the first

round of six-party talks. China remains committed to

resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula

peacefully through dialogue and the building of a

lasting peace there.

To develop, China needs the world, and a

prosperous world also needs China. The market and

cooperation potential unleashed by a rapidly

developing China could bring fresh and immeasurable

opportunities to the region and to the world at large.

We desire peace, stability and development. We

aspire to equality, mutual benefit and a win-win result

for all. Conforming to the tide of history, China has

opted for the path of peaceful development, linking its

rejuvenation with that of the region, with the interests

of the majority of countries, and with the lofty cause of

peace and development for humanity. We hereby

pledge our continued and ever-greater contribution to

world prosperity and progress.