Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has hailed President Xi Jinping's important statement at the General Debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), saying it injects confidence into the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic and guides the way for the common development of the world.

Wang made the remarks on Wednesday at a briefing on the significance and far-reaching impact of Xi's statement delivered to the UNGA on Tuesday.

China's contribution to COVID-19 fight

Noting COVID-19 is still raging in the world, Wang pointed out Xi's remarks have highlighted China's contribution to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wang said vaccination is the powerful weapon against COVID-19 while slamming "vaccine nationalism." "Some countries are engaged in 'blame-shifting' and political manipulation, seriously undermining the overall situation of international solidarity against the pandemic," he added.

The Chinese president on Tuesday again stressed the need to make vaccines a global public good and ensure vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries.

Xi reiterated that China will strive to provide a total of 2 billion vaccine doses to the world by the end of this year, donate $100 million to COVAX and donate 100 million vaccine doses to other developing countries in the course of this year.

Global Development Initiative

Addressing the global challenges, the widening of the North-South development gap and the difficulties in global economic recovery, the Chinese president on Tuesday proposed a Global Development Initiative.

Wang concluded that the Initiative's core principles are to stay committed to development as a priority, stay committed to a people-centered approach, stay committed to benefits for all, stay committed to innovation-driven development, stay committed to harmony between man and nature, and stay committed to results-oriented actions.

The Chinese foreign minister said the Initiative is an important declaration by China to help reinvigorate the UN's global partnership for development and help the international community form a synergy to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

"We welcome countries around the world to join the Global Development Initiative, deepen the connectivity of each other's development strategies, and jointly promote cooperation in key areas to create a brighter future for the cause of global development," Wang added.

Xi on Tuesday also announced that China will step up support for other developing countries in developing green and low-carbon energy, and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad.

Wang called the announcement another important step China takes independently to address global climate change.

Building a new type of international relations

According to Wang, Xi's address on Tuesday offered China's proposal of building a new type of international relations amid resurgent Cold-War mentality and power politics.

Wang voiced opposition to some countries' acts of trying to divide the world with ideology as the yardstick, creating cliques for geopolitical gain, interfering in other countries' internal affairs and obstructing other countries' development under the guise of democracy and human rights.

President Xi on Tuesday stressed "a world of peace and development should embrace civilizations of various forms, and must accommodate diverse paths to modernization. Democracy is not a special right reserved to an individual country, but a right for the people of all countries to enjoy."

Xi's appeal for building a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, equity, justice and win-win cooperation provides more stability given all the uncertainty in international relations, Wang said.

China is always a builder of world peace, contributor to global development, defender of the international order and provider of public goods. China will continue to bring the world new opportunities through its new development, Wang reiterated.

Improving global governance

According to Wang, Xi has expounded on improving global governance and practicing true multilateralism.

Xi told the UNGA that in the world, there is only one international system, the international system with the United Nations (UN) at its core; there is only one international order, the international order underpinned by international law; and there is only one set of rules, the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

The Chinese president also urged the UN to hold high the banner of true multilateralism, stay committed to ensuring a stable international order, take the lead in advancing democracy and rule of law in international relations, and work in all the three areas of security, development and human rights.

Wang said the Chinese president was speaking broadly on behalf of the vast majority of countries as well as representing China's renewed commitment to multilateralism and to the UN.

Wang pointed out that at present, under the banner of returning to multilateralism, some countries claim to uphold the "rules-based international order," but in fact are imposing their own will and standards on others while replacing the universally-recognized international law with rules made by a few countries.