China on Tuesday
June 7, 2005 issued a position paper on the United Nations' reforms.
The following is the full text of the paper:
Position Paper of the People's Republic of
China on the United Nations Reforms
I. Development Issues
II. Security Issues
III. Rule of Law, Human
Rights and Democracy
IV. Strengthening the UN
With the advent of a new century, international situation is undergoing
profound and complex changes. Peace and development remain the themes of the
times, but uncertain and unstable elements are on the rise. We are faced with
rare opportunities as well as grave challenges to realize enduring peace and
common development of human society.
Against the backdrop of in-depth
development of globalization and increasingly closer interdependence of states,
global threats and challenges have become more diverse and interconnected. All
threats, new or old, "soft" or "hard", direct or indirect, should be treated
with equal seriousness and emphasis without partiality. All countries should
make concerted efforts to deepen understanding through contacts, enhance trust
through dialogues, and promote cooperation through communications, so as to cope
with threats and challenges, especially to eliminate their root causes, by
collective action.
The United Nations plays an indispensable role in
international affairs. As the most universal, representative, authoritative
inter-governmental international organization, the UN is the best venue to
practice multilateralism, and an effective platform for collective actions to
cope with various threats and challenges. It should continue to be a messenger
for the maintenance of peace, and a forerunner for the promotion of development.
A reformed UN with a bigger role to play will serve the common interests of
humanity.
China welcomes the report of the High-Level Panel on Threats,
Challenges and Change, UN Millennium Project Report and the comprehensive report
of the UN Secretary-General, all of which put forward some useful and feasible
approaches and proposals for the rejuvenation and reform of the UN. China is
ready to work with all other parties to push for positive results of UN reforms
and success of the summit in September.
China maintains that UN
reforms should observe the following principles:
· Reforms
should be in the interest of multilateralism, and enhance UN's authority and
efficiency, as well as its capacity to deal with new threats and challenges.
· Reforms should safeguard the purposes and principles enshrined in the
UN Charter, especially those of sovereign equality, non-interference in internal
affairs, peaceful resolution of conflicts and strengthening international
cooperation, etc.
· Reforms should be all-dimensional and
multi-sectoral, and aim to succeed in both aspects of security and development.
Especially, reforms should aim at reversing the trend of "UN giving priority to
security over development" by increasing inputs in the field of development and
facilitating the realization of the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs).
· Reforms shall accommodate the propositions and concerns of all
UN members, especially those of the developing countries. Reforms should be
based on democratic and thorough consultations and the most broadly-based
consensus.
· Reforms should proceed gradually from tackling more
manageable problems to thornier ones and be carried out in a way that will
maintain and promote solidarity among members. For those proposals on which
consensus has been reached, decision may be made promptly for their
implementation; for important issues where division still exists, prudence,
continued consultations and consensus-building are called for. It is undesirable
to set a time limit or force a decision.
I. Development Issues
Development is the common
pursuit of people from all countries and bedrock for a collective security
mechanism and the progress of human civilization. Poverty, diseases,
environmental degradation are also grave challenges to the international
community. Serious attention must be given to the needs of developing countries,
with a view to achieving coordinated, balanced and universal development around
the world.
