Xi Jinping and UN Secretary-General Guterres Hold a Video Conference

Sept. 24, 2020 (EIRNS)—President Xi Jinping held a video conference with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sept. 24th. This is Xi’s third appearance at this year’s UN General Assembly, which the Chinese side no doubt knew would be a key forum for countering the attacks on China coming from the U.S. administration.

Most striking was the Chinese President’s strong defense of China’s sovereignty, in light of numerous recent provocations especially around the Taiwan issue, which for China is a red line. Xi asserted:

“China never engages in ideological confrontation, never advocates decoupling, and never wants to seek hegemony. What we think about the most is to enable 1.4 billion Chinese people to lead a better life and make greater contributions to mankind. However, we will not sit back and watch the damage to national sovereignty, national dignity, and development space. We will firmly safeguard our legitimate rights and interests and safeguard international fairness and justice.”

Xi also said that the international community should use the occasion of the UN’s 75th Anniversary to reaffirm its commitment to multilateralism and to its solemn commitment to the UN Charter. He urged that the global fight against COVID cannot be relaxed. China is willing to share its experience and practices with all parties without reservation, and continues to provide support and assistance to countries in need. China firmly supports the United Nations system, especially the World Health Organization, to play a key leadership role, Xi said, and to strengthen international cooperation and joint prevention and control, and jointly build a human health community. China will fulfill its commitment to make any vaccine a global public product after its research and development is completed and will put it into use, contributing to the realization of vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries.

Xi Jinping pointed out that the pandemic has spawned many new problems, but in the final analysis, peace and development are inseparable. The Security Council must play its role as a collective security mechanism, and the permanent members must set an example. To engage in unilateralism and hegemony will lose popular support, he said. Xi Jinping pointed out that the epidemic has also magnified the problems of inadaptability and mismatch in the global governance system. All parties should think about how to improve that system, instead of overthrowing it and starting a new one. There is only one system in the world, that is, the international system with the United Nations as the core; there is only one set of rules, that is, the basic norms of international relations based on the UN Charter.

Guterres said that he appreciated the role that China has been playing in the United Nations. And with the help of China, the UN can play its role better. Guterres declared:

“I highly appreciate President Xi Jinping's announcement at the United Nations General Assembly a few days ago that China has made a series of major initiatives and measures in implementing multilateralism, addressing climate change, and promoting sustainable development. I support China's promotion of the joint construction of the ‘Green Silk Road.’ China has deepened cooperation with Africa and developing countries. The United Nations hopes to continue to strengthen cooperation with China and expects China to play a leading role.”