Speech at the Conference Marking the 50th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Lawful Seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations

Speech at the Conference Marking the 50th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Lawful Seat of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations

October 25, 2021

Your Excellency Secretary-General António Guterres,
Your Excellencies Diplomatic Envoys and Representatives of International Organizations,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Friends,
Comrades,

Fifty years ago today at its 26th Session, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted Resolution 2758 by an overwhelming majority, and the decision was made to restore all the rights of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations and to recognize the representatives of the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations. It was a victory for the Chinese people and a victory for all the people of the world.

Today, on this special date, we are gathered here to review the past and look to the future, and that makes our gathering all the more significant.

The restoration of the lawful seat of the PRC in the UN was a momentous event for the world and the UN. It came as the result of a combined effort by all the peace-loving countries that stood up for justice in the world. It marked the return of the people of China, or one-fourth of the world’s population, back to the UN. The event was significant and far-reaching for both China and the wider world.

On this occasion, I wish to express, on behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, our heartfelt gratitude to all the countries that co-sponsored and supported UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, and to pay tribute to all the countries and people who stand on the side of justice.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Friends,
Comrades,

The past five decades since the restoration of the PRC’s lawful seat in the United Nations have witnessed China’s peaceful development and its commitment and dedication to the wellbeing of all humanity.

– For these 50 years, the Chinese people have demonstrated an untiring spirit and kept to the right direction amid changing circumstances, writing an epic chapter in the story of China and humanity.

Building on achievements in national construction and development after the founding of the People’s Republic, the Chinese people started a new period of reform and opening up, succeeded in founding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, and focused on unleashing and developing the productive forces and raising their living standards. China has achieved the historic transformation from a country with relatively backward productive forces to the world’s second largest economy. Through hard work, the Chinese people have completed the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects on the vast land of China, and won the battle against poverty, thus securing a historic success in eradicating absolute poverty in China. We have now embarked on a new journey towards a modern socialist country that presents brighter prospects for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

– For these 50 years, the Chinese people have stood in solidarity and cooperation with other peoples around the world and upheld international equity and justice, contributing significantly to world peace and development.

The Chinese people love peace and know well the value of peace and stability. We have followed and never deviated from an independent foreign policy of peace. We have stood firm for fairness and justice, and resolutely opposed hegemony and power politics. The Chinese people are strong supporters of other developing countries in their just struggle to safeguard their sovereignty, security and development interests.

The Chinese people are committed to promoting common development. From the Tazara Railway to the Belt and Road Initiative, we have done what we could to help other developing countries, and have offered the world new opportunities through our own development.

During the challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic, China has shared its Covid response experience with the rest of the world without reservation, sent large quantities of supplies, vaccines and medicines to other countries, and engaged deeply in science-based cooperation on tracing Covid-19 origins, all in a sincere and proactive effort to contribute to humanity’s final victory over the pandemic.

– For these 50 years, the Chinese people have upheld the authority and sanctity of the UN and practiced multilateralism, and China’s cooperation with the UN has steadily expanded.

China has faithfully fulfilled its missions and responsibilities as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, stayed true to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and upheld the central role of the UN in international affairs.

China has all along advocated peaceful and diplomatic settlement of disputes. It has sent over 50,000 peacekeepers to UN peacekeeping operations, and is now the second largest financial contributor to both the UN and its peacekeeping operations.

China is among the first countries to have met the UN Millennium Development Goals. It has taken the lead in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and contributed to over 70 percent of global poverty reduction.

China has stood by the spirit of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and earnestly applied the universality of human rights in the Chinese context. It has blazed a path of protection and promotion of human rights that is consistent with the trend of the times and bears distinct Chinese features, thus making a major contribution to the progress of human rights in China and to the international cause of human rights.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Friends,
Comrades,

The tide of the times is mighty; those who follow it will prosper while those who resist it will perish. Over the past 50 years, in spite of times of trouble and turmoil, the world has remained stable as a whole, thanks to the concerted efforts of the peoples of all countries. The global economy has grown rapidly, and innovations in science and technology have continued to open new ground. A large number of developing countries have grown stronger, over a billion people have emerged from poverty, and several billion are moving towards modernization.

In the world today, change on a scale unseen in a century is accelerating, and the forces for peace, development and progress have continued to grow. It falls upon us to follow the prevailing trend of history, and choose cooperation over confrontation, openness over isolation, and mutual benefit over zero-sum games. We must be firm in opposing all forms of hegemony and power politics, as well as all forms of unilateralism and protectionism.

– We should vigorously advocate peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, which are common values of humanity, and work together to provide the right philosophy for building a better world.

Peace and development are our common cause, equity and justice our common aspiration, and democracy and freedom our common goal. Our world is characterized above all by diversity. It is diversity that makes human civilization what it is. It provides us a constant source of vitality and a driving force for world development.

As Liu Kai of the Qing Dynasty said, “Only by learning from hundred schools of thoughts and drawing on their strength can one develop and establish one’s own distinct style.” No civilization in the world is superior to others; every civilization is special and unique to its own region. Civilizations can achieve harmony only through communication, and can make progress only through harmonization. The success of a country’s path of development is judged first and foremost by whether it fits the country’s conditions, whether it follows the trends of the times, whether it brings economic growth, social progress, stability, and better lives, whether it has the people’s endorsement and support, and whether it contributes to human progress.

– We should join together to build a global community of shared future, and work together to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.

The human race is an integral community, and the earth is our common homeland. No individual or country can thrive in isolation. Humanity should stand together in solidarity and pursue common development in harmony. We should keep moving towards a global community of shared future, and jointly create a better tomorrow. Building a global community of shared future does not mean replacing one system or civilization with another. Rather, it is about countries with different social systems, ideologies, histories, cultures, and levels of development coming together to further shared interests, shared rights, and shared responsibilities in global affairs, and creating the greatest synergy for building a better world.

– We should remain committed to mutual benefit and win-win results, and work together to promote economic and social development for the greater benefit of our people.

As an ancient Chinese once observed, “The essence of governance is livelihood, and the essence of livelihood is sufficiency.” Development and happy lives are the common aspirations of people in all countries. Development is meaningful only when it advances the people’s interests, and can be sustained only when it is driven by the people. Countries should put their people first, and strive to realize development of greater quality, efficiency, equity, sustainability and security. It is important to resolve the problem of imbalanced and insufficient development, and make development more coordinated and inclusive. It is also important to strengthen the people’s capacity for development, foster an environment where everyone takes part and has a share, and create a dynamic where the outcome of development benefits every person in every country in a fair way.

Not long ago, at the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly, I proposed a Global Development Initiative, in the hope that countries will work together to overcome the impact of Covid-19, accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and build a global community of shared development.

– We should step up cooperation, and work together to address the global challenges and issues facing humanity.

The international community is confronted by regional disputes as well as global issues such as terrorism, climate change, cybersecurity, and biosecurity. Only with more inclusive global governance, more effective multilateral mechanisms, and more active regional cooperation can these issues be addressed effectively.

Climate change is nature’s warning to humanity. Countries need to take concrete actions to protect Mother Nature. We need to encourage green recovery, green production, and green consumption, promote healthy and positive lifestyles, foster harmony between humanity and nature, protect the eco-environment, and make it an inexhaustible source of sustainable development.

– We should resolutely uphold the authority and sanctity of the UN, and work together to practice true multilateralism. Building a global community of shared future requires a strong UN, and calls for reform and improvement of the global governance system. Countries should uphold the international system with the UN at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

International rules can only be made by the 193 UN member states together, and not decided by any individual country or by power blocs. International rules should be observed by the 193 UN member states, and there is no exception and should be no exception. Countries should respect the UN, take good care of the UN family, refrain from exploiting the organization – still less abandon it for self-serving reasons – and make sure that the UN plays an ever more positive role in advancing humanity’s noble cause of peace and development. China is ready to work with all countries under the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, to explore new ideas and new models of cooperation, and to continue enriching the practice of multilateralism under new circumstances.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Friends,
Comrades,

A review of the past can light the way forward. Standing at a new historical starting point, China will stay committed to the path of peaceful development and always be a builder of world peace. China will stay committed to the path of reform and opening up and always be a contributor to global development. China will stay committed to the path of multilateralism and always be a defender of the international order.

As a Chinese poem reads, “Green hills bathe in the same cloud and rain. The same moon lights up towns however far away.” Let us join hands, stand on the right side of history and the side of human progress, and work tirelessly for the lasting and peaceful development of the world and for a global community of shared future.

Thank you.

(Not to be republished for any commercial or other purposes.)