China is an important country in the international community in
both political and economic terms, making contribution to the
world's peace and stability, a senior official with the United
Nations (UN) told Xinhua in Hangzhou City Friday.?
"China is a responsible nation," said Anand Panyarachun, former
Thai prime minister and chairman of the panel of eminent persons on
UN reform and the UN's role, who is attending the Asia High-level
Symposium on Threats, Challenges and Change in Hangzhou, capital
city of east China's Zhejiang
Province.
Anand said China, as a populous developing country, has created
the world's fastest economic growth, which the international
community has called a "peaceful rising." China has always been
dedicated to peaceful coordination with other countries and in
recent years has conducted a good partnership for cooperation with
other countries, he said.
Therefore, China's prosperity is welcomed, said Anand, adding
that "some countries are still suspicious that the rising China
will pose a threat to them, which is not necessary at all."
The UN will celebrate its 60th founding anniversary next year,
Anand said. Asian countries and the UN are facing the same problem
concerning peace and security. Over the past 10 years, security
problems have been prominent as terrorism, infectious diseases,
poverty, as well as international and domestic disparity led to
unbalanced, unequal and unsustainable development.
The UN should seek solutions so that the future development of
the world can be more even, equal and sustainable, Anand said, and
it should also progress with the times and promote its reform.
He said that when the UN Charter was signed in 1945, many Asian
and African countries were still colonized and did not participate
in the signing of the UN Charter. At present, UN members have
reached 191, and the international economic and political situation
has undergone drastic changes.
Any organization in the world which has operated for such a long
time needs inspection on its structure, achievements and future
task, he said.
"We are reviewing whether the UN Charter conforms with the
current political and economic situation," Anand said.
He said the panel of eminent persons on UN reform and the UN's
role is mainly responsible for raising suggestions on the UN's
policies, mechanism and construction, so as to help ensure the UN
could take more consistent collective actions in accordance with
the diversified situation.
The symposium, as the first regional one of the panel, is being
held here from April 2 to 4 at the request of the UN eminent
persons panel and presided over by former Chinese Vice-Premier Qian
Qichen.
Participants including members of the panel, former high-ranking
officials of some Asian countries and renowned experts and scholars
will have discussions on three major topics, namely, threats and
challenges to the international peace and security, collective
actions of the international community, and the UN's operation,
coordination and reform.
(Xinhua News Agency April 4, 2004)