China's support for the United Nations (UN) is concrete as it has fully paid its membership and peacekeeping assessments this year, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said Friday.

China's financial obligations

When asked to comment on China's financial obligations to the UN, the Foreign Ministry said China has paid assessed contributions and peacekeeping assessments for 2020 in full, showing support for the UN with concrete action.

It is a legally-binding obligation for all member states to pay their assessed contributions on time and in full, Hua said during a daily briefing. "All member states should earnestly fulfill this obligation, help ease the UN's financial difficulties and support its work."

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China says it firmly supports the UN

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UN. As the world is confronted by various global challenges including COVID-19, it serves our shared interests to uphold multilateralism and safeguard the international system with the UN at its core, Hua said.

China stands ready to work with other countries to support the UN's work so it can play a bigger role in promoting world peace and development, she said, adding China supports the establishment of a review committee to assess the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic at the appropriate time when the pandemic is over.

Peace and development

Meanwhile, a Chinese envoy on Friday called for multilateralism on the anniversary.

"Multilateralism is a collective choice made by humanity at the cost of a world war. Thanks to multilateralism, mankind has enjoyed 75 years of peace and development. No country can make itself great in isolation," said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

"The United Nations is a product of World War II. We need to uphold the UN-centered international system, maintain international order based on international law, and safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter," he told an Arria Formula virtual meeting of the Security Council.

The world is undergoing major development, transformation and readjustment, but peace and development remains the call of the times. It is the shared expectation and in the interests of all peoples. The international community should work for a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, Zhang said. 

"We need to adopt a people-centered approach in development, facilitate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and promote lasting peace through sustainable development," he said. 

He advocated the settlement of disputes through peaceful means. 

The world today is an interconnected community. All countries should prioritize dialogue and consultation, build trust and promote cooperation, so as to resolve differences and disputes peacefully, he said. "We must oppose willful use or threat of use of force, power politics and all forms of hegemony and bullying practice."

Virus a common enemy 

The world is facing a war against COVID-19. The virus is a common enemy, and solidarity and multilateral cooperation is the most powerful weapon, said Zhang. 

"To win this war, we must stand in solidarity, support the United Nations and the World Health Organization in playing a leading and central role, and form synergy in our efforts. Governments of all countries should shoulder responsibilities, put people first, respect science, and take all necessary measures to protect lives and health. We must firmly oppose politicizing the pandemic, spreading misinformation and lies, or shrugging off one's own responsibilities for political gains," he said. 

Stronger and better multilateral cooperation is key to winning the war against COVID-19, said Zhang. "Now more than ever, it is a lesson that we cannot afford to ignore." 

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(With input from agencies)