Tatiana Valovaya, director-general of the United Nations at Geneva, said Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world and one of the oldest. She stressed the importance of multilingualism as a cornerstone of effective multilateralism. Valovaya said China is a vital partner for the UN and the second-largest contributor to the UN budget. As the world continues to face wide-ranging challenges triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN is more reliant than ever on China's continued commitment to multilateralism.