China's permanent representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun said on Tuesday that China will continue to support the UN, weeks before the 50th anniversary of China's restoration of its lawful seat at the international body.

The 26th session of the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 on October 25, 1971, to restore all the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China and recognize it as the only lawful representative of China at the UN.

"Over the past 50 years, China has safeguarded world peace meticulously," Zhang told a press briefing on Tuesday, one day after the high-level meetings of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly closed.

Noting that China is the second largest contributor to both regular and peacekeeping budgets of the UN and the largest troop contributor among the permanent members of the UN Security Council, Zhang said his country had made important contributions to peacekeeping and always promoted political resolutions to hotpot issues.

He continued to elaborate on China's commitment to advancing global development, saying that it has provided nearly 400 billion yuan (about $61.85 billion) in assistance to 166 countries and international organizations and supported more than 120 developing countries in their implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

"China's contribution to global economic growth has ranked first in the world for 15 consecutive years," he said.

China has also safeguarded the international order, honored its international obligations and commitments, and provided public goods by advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and the Belt and Road Initiative, Zhang added.

'China attaches importance to UNGA session'

The Chinese envoy said China has attached great importance to the just-concluded 76th session of the UN General Assembly.

He hailed Chinese President Xi Jinping's virtual address to the session and his proposal of the Global Development Initiative as the solution China has offered to the world at the crossroads of history.

Through practical actions, China has made important contributions to addressing global challenges and promoting a greater role of the UN, he said. 

He went further to explain how China has committed itself to promoting international cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 epidemic, achieving global common development, addressing climate change with actions, upholding genuine multilateralism and addressing hot issues through political solutions.

"China will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, defender of the international order and provider of public goods," he said.

China-U.S. relations 'of great importance'

Zhang said China-U.S. relations are of great importance since they are the world's two largest economies and both are permanent members of the Security Council.

China has always advocated the building of a China-U.S. relationship that is free of conflict and confrontation and based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation, he said, adding that China will also firmly safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests.

He added that the Chinese side has noted U.S. President Joe Biden's address to the General Assembly, where Biden said the U.S. does not want a new Cold War.

"We expect the U.S. side to do what it has said, truly abandon the Cold War mentality, stop provoking confrontation or interfering in China's internal affairs on the pretext of human rights issues," he said.

On Afghanistan

The Chinese envoy also reiterated China's stance on Afghanistan and called for the international community to prioritize the addressing of humanitarian crisis facing the Asian country.

When asked about Afghanistan's representation at the UN, Zhang said, China, as a member of the credentials committee of the General Assembly, will consult with other members and handle the issue in accordance with international law and the rules and practices of the world body.