UN envoy highlights President Xi's speech

China's ambassador to the United Nations on Monday reiterated key elements of President Xi Jinping's speech at the conference marking the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the UN.

"Today is a day of great historical significance. 50 years ago, the People's Republic of China regained its seat at the UN," said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN.

On Monday, President Xi delivered a key speech in Beijing when attending the commemorative meeting on the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of China in the UN.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appeared on video during the meeting.

In his speech, Xi systematically reviewed and summarized the extraordinary course of the past 50 years, said Zhang.

Those years have "witnessed China's tremendous changes and rapid development, witnessed the full-scale and deepening of cooperation between China and the UN, witnessed that China has maintained its strength in the changing international situation and made great contributions to world peace and development, and witnessed China striding forward to the center of the world stage," said the envoy.

China's development achievements and contributions to the UN over the past 50 years have profoundly explained a truth, that is, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people have chosen a correct development path that suits their own national conditions, said Zhang.

The past 50 years also convey an important message, that is, if China is good, the world will be better. Following this path, China will have a better tomorrow, and it will also bring greater opportunities to the world, the envoy said.

"This is also the strongest support, the most solid confidence, and the most fundamental driving force for China to deepen cooperation with the UN and play its role as a responsible power," Zhang continued.

In his speech, Xi profoundly analyzed the general trend of the world and put forward ideas and propositions to cope with global challenges, demonstrating Chinese wisdom and the country's leading role, said Zhang.

The president put forth a series of important propositions, and the main point is to build a community of shared future for mankind, he said. "This is a fundamental plan for coping with global challenges, and it shows great wisdom, vision, and mind."

Since the Party's 18th National Congress, Xi has delivered important speeches at the UN many times, Zhang said. Those speeches focused on the long-term future of mankind, systematically expounded the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, focused on current outstanding challenges, and put forward a series of specific initiatives.

"These speeches always gave out China's visions and plans at critical moments in history, pointing out the direction, adding confidence, and injecting strength into building a better world," Zhang said.

"President Xi's speech at Monday's commemorative meeting once again gave guidance to the world at a historical crossroad," he said.

On Monday's meeting, Guterres affirmed China's contributions to the UN and the world and emphasized that China is the main pillar of international cooperation.

"In the decades since, China has become an increasingly important contributor to the work of the organization and a major pillar of international cooperation," said Guterres.

In his speech, Xi reiterated China's importance and support for the UN.

"In recent years, President Xi has repeatedly emphasized on different occasions that in the face of global challenges and threats, the world needs a strong UN more than ever," Zhang said.

"At today's commemorative meeting, President Xi once again called on the international community to resolutely safeguard the authority and status of the UN. China's support for the UN is durable, reliable and consistent. China is now the second-largest contributor to the UN and the UN Peacekeeping budget and will continue to make its own contributions to the cause of the UN in the future," he said.

At the same time, to strengthen the role of the UN, "the most important thing is to grasp the direction of the UN, ensure that the UN advances in the right direction, practice true multilateralism, and serve the common interests of all mankind," he continued.

In his speech, Xi pointed out that we should follow the general trend of history, insist on cooperation, openness, mutual benefit and win-win, Zhang said.

"We shall be firm in opposing all forms of hegemony and power politics, as well as all forms of unilateralism and protectionism," Zhang said in quoting the president.

"These statements are powerful. They have captured the outstanding problems and major obstacles currently facing the UN, and have strong, practical, guiding significance," said Zhang.

A photo exhibition to commemorate the historic moment was held in the UN on Monday.

The exhibition consisting of six sections demonstrates China's leading role in proposing and actively practicing the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence; China's contribution to UN peacekeeping missions; Chinese wisdom and strength to accelerating the global poverty reduction cause and China's commitment to the green development approach and always putting people first.

"There is a history and a story behind every photo," said Zhang. "We hope that through this exhibition, we will evoke memories of the history."

Abdulla Shahid, the president of the 76th General Assembly, along with ambassadors from many countries attended the exhibition.

"It was a very dramatic moment," said Munir Akram, who previously served as Pakistan's ambassador and permanent representative to the UN, witnessed the moment when Resolution 2758 was adopted, restoring all the lawful rights of China in the UN.

"That was a moment that everybody was happy. All friends of China were very happy: Pakistan, Cuba, Romania and Albania who responded to the resolution," Akram said.