Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said on Friday that China has supported the United Nations in playing a central role in international affairs over past decades.

Han made the remarks during a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City.

The current international landscape is marked by intertwined changes and challenges, and the UN-centered international system is facing multiple challenges, Han said.

Noting that this year marks the 55th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China at the UN, Han said China has consistently upheld true multilateralism and supported the UN in playing a central role in international affairs over the past 55 years.

Han noted that upholding multilateralism and reforming and improving the global governance system have become widely shared calls from the international community.

Looking ahead, China will continue to act as a responsible major country, actively align its own visions and initiatives with the UN agenda, and create new opportunities for global development through the new achievements of Chinese modernization, Han added.

During the meeting, Guterres expressed appreciation for China's strong and steadfast support for the UN cause, saying that China has played a key role in advancing major UN agendas and made important contributions to global development.

The UN stands ready to further deepen cooperation with China and safeguard the common interests of the international community, Guterres said.