Challenges are global, and there is no way to address global challenges without a multilateral approach, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told CGTN'S World Insight host Tian Wei.

Guterres is in Beijing to attend the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which opened on Monday.

On the complex dynamics of the international situation and the individual development of countries, Guterres said the UN must do everything it can, "to first of all, prevent conflicts, try to solve them, to be able to promote an agenda that was agreed by all countries in the world."

He noted that specific issues that should be addressed include the "Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, for inclusive development, for fair globalization, to fight against climate change, that [which] is the most dramatic threat to our life as a planet, and at the same time to promote human rights."

He also noted that inequities in the international system need to be addressed.

"If something fair is not there, we need to do everything possible to mobilize the international community in order to be able to fill the gap that may exist."

He added that his hope lies with young people around the world, noting that "more young people [are] totally committed to cosmopolitan values. If you talk of the youth, the youth doesn’t like protectionism, the youth doesn’t like nationalism, the youth like to be the citizens of the world, they communicate everywhere, and this is my hope for the future. So we are having a hiccup at the moment, but we will overcome them."

Like an international paradox, while the world has never been more integrated, it is also becoming increasingly divided in the meantime. "This is a great concern," said Guterres, "But fortunately, we see more and more initiatives in such areas as trade, peace security, whatever. I do believe that this is a moment in which we need to be very strongly committed to multi-level institutions and rules by international orders."

In response to the US cutting aid to the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, Guterres said the agency's work is extremely important not only for the well-being of Palestinians but also for regional peace and stability.

"Can you imagine what it would be if millions of people all of a sudden [were] completely deprived of rights and services that benefit them at the present moment? So when we verify that, indeed the United States said they would dramatically reduce the funding, we immediately launched a huge campaign mobilizing the whole international community."

He also expressed hope that China will continue supporting the UN's efforts for Palestinians.

"I ask President Xi Jinxing to increase the Chinese solidarity to allow for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to go on doing its work, providing health care, providing education, providing support to the poorest families, to guarantee that the Palestinian refugees can have a minimum of that dignity [of] being respected, which is also an absolute must in order to avoid a major confrontation, a major increase of the risks of confrontation in the area," said Guterres.

In recent years, the role of the UN has been doubted by some countries. It is supposed to be an organization based on rules accepted by everybody. But some parties seem unconvinced by this logic.

"I think we need to make people understand that in the long term we need to have win-win solutions. Because if we have zero-sum solutions for our problems, we might win today but we will lose tomorrow. And we need sustainable solutions, especially in a world that is smaller and smaller. We need be able to have inclusive solutions, in which consultations in a way everybody can participate," he added, underlying that staying committed to rules of the international order remains the only way to address conundrums.

Regarding the win-win model, he spoke highly of its application in China-Africa cooperation.

"It is a matter of real dialogue; it is a matter of coming together for common interests," the Secretary-General noted. "The big advantage of the forum is that we can bring people together to make sure cooperation projects not only benefit China in its global reach but also benefit African countries and their peoples with full implementation in their economies. That’s why the forum is so important. That’s why we are so supportive of this intense dialogue between China and African countries."