Chinese FM urges UNSC permanent members to be role models

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday urged the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to be fully aware of their responsibility and be role models in the international community.

Wang made the proposals while chairing a work luncheon at the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and British Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the United Nations Lord Tariq Ahmad attended the event.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi [File Photo: fmprc.gov.cn]

The participating parties exchanged views on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, regional hotspot issues and cooperation among the five permanent members.

Wang said the five permanent members should be fully aware of their great responsibility, and commit themselves to world peace and security.

"We should not only safeguard the rightful interests of our own country, but also promote the common interests of the international community," said Wang.

In the face of such a complex and ever-changing world, the permanent members of the UNSC should be role models in abiding by the international law and rules for the sake of lasting peace and stability in the world, supporting multilateralism in order to deal with global challenges effectively, increasing development assistance so as to help achieve the 2030 sustainable development agenda, and strengthening unity to forge consensus in international cooperation, said the Chinese foreign minister.

The UNSC permanent members should also be role models in safeguarding the status of the United Nations and realizing the purposes and principles of the UN charter, he added.

"With great power comes great responsibility," Wang said. China is willing to maintain close communication and cooperation with other UNSC permanent members and the UN secretary-general, shoulder the responsibility of handling global hotspot issues, and contribute to the promotion of world peace and prosperity.