FM: Give developing nations bigger say in UN

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi answers questions from reporters via video link at a news conference for the fourth session of the 13th NPC in Beijing on Sunday. (Photo/Xinhua)

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for greater representation and a bigger say in the United Nations for developing countries, saying that China will always support these countries.

Wang made the remark on Sunday as he met the media in Beijing during the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

He stressed that no matter how the international organization reforms, the basic rule of equal consultation at the UN should be preserved.

"The UN is not a club for big or rich countries. All countries enjoy sovereign equality and no country is in a position to dictate international affairs," he said.

Wang said that developing countries should have more representation and a bigger say in the international body in order to reflect the common will of most countries.

Most UN members are small and medium-sized countries, but 63 countries have so far never been members of the UN Security Council, while some small and medium-sized countries get a seat on the council every 40 to 50 years.

"China stands for equality among all countries regardless of their size," Wang said.

He added that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be preserved, as it stipulates the basic norms for its members to handle international affairs. Any behavior that violates the UN Charter is damaging to world peace and stability, he said.

According to Wang, as the most universal, representative and authoritative intergovernmental organization, the UN should only be stronger, not weaker.

"All countries must voluntarily uphold the UN's authority," he said.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the UN. Recalling the historic moment 50 years ago, Wang said it was from that day on that the UN finally achieved universality in a real sense.

Over the past half-century, China has joined almost all intergovernmental international organizations and signed over 500 multilateral treaties.

China is also the second-largest contributor of funding to the United Nations and has sent the largest number of peacekeeping personnel of all of the permanent members of the UN Security Council.

This year, China will earnestly implement a series of major initiatives and moves announced by President Xi Jinping and play a more proactive role in participating in UN affairs, Wang said.

This year also marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the World Trade Organization.

Wang said at the news conference that this was a milestone in China's opening-up and the process of economic globalization.

"The past two decades have taught us four important things: We must stay committed to the fundamental policy of opening-up, stay committed to the principle of win-win cooperation, stay committed to the right direction of economic globalization and stay committed to the central role of the WTO," he said.

Now, facing the new problems and challenges in globalization, the answer is not to retreat into protectionism, isolation or decoupling, but to work together to make globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all, Wang said.