Nations urged to reinvigorate multilateralism

Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on the international community to reinvigorate true multilateralism and speed up efforts to build a more just and equitable global governance system in the face of global crises.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the statement on Tuesday when chairing the United Nations Security Council's high-level meeting themed on "Practicing Multilateralism, Reforming and Improving Global Governance" at the UN headquarters in New York.

The meeting, held under China's presidency of the UN Security Council, provided an opportunity for UN member states to review the history of the intergovernmental organization, reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism, and jointly build a just and equitable global governance system. Representatives of more than 100 countries attended the meeting.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the UN's founding. Wang highlighted the significant role of the UN in today's world, and said that in the face of the turbulent and changing international landscape, the UN-centered international system provides important safeguards for the cause of human progress, and the vision of multilateralism with coordination and cooperation as its cornerstone is the best solution to global issues.

"The United Nations remains the most representative and authoritative intergovernmental international organization, serving as the core mechanism for achieving world peace and development," he told the international media after the meeting.

"In the current context, the role of the United Nations must not be weakened but strengthened, and its position must be upheld and not replaced."

Saying that the trend of multilateralism is irreversible, Wang emphasized that unilateralism and protectionism are unpopular.

He called for reforming and improving global governance, highlighting the need to enhance the representation of the Global South and reflect the will and interests of the majority of countries in the reform process.

Wang also emphasized that UN Security Council resolutions are legally binding and must be upheld by all countries. "All the UN member states, especially Security Council members, should prioritize this international obligation, avoiding selective application and double standards."

He criticized some members' attempts to turn the Security Council into a place for attacks and accusations and to transform the international instrument into a geopolitical tool, which he said goes against the founders' original intentions. "It is imperative to reshape the unity of the five permanent members of the Security Council," he said.

The Chinese foreign minister reiterated China's support for all efforts conducive to peace talks in Ukraine. "We will continue to work with other countries, especially Global South countries, to make more objective, balanced and rational voices heard, to build consensus for ending the conflict, and to pave the way for peace," he said.

On the Middle East issue, Wang emphasized the importance of upholding the two-state solution. "Gaza and the West Bank are the homeland of the Palestinian people, not a bargaining chip in political trade-offs. The Palestinians governing Palestine is an important principle that must be followed in the post-conflict governance of Gaza," he said.

Wang urged efforts to uphold the two-state solution, press for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question, and bring lasting peace and security to the Middle East.