World Needs United Nations

The United Nations Millenium Summit is forthcoming. Heads of State and government from more than 160 countries will gather at the UN headquarters in New York early next month. At the turn of the century and the alternation of millenium, statesmen from various countries will take advantage of this opportunity to review the past and look forward to the future on a still higher standing point, they will jointly discuss the development trend of human history and how to fulfill the noble mission shouldered by the United Nations. This is of far-reaching significance and is the focus of world attention.

The Millenium Summit, with the "role of the United Nations in the 21st century" as the theme, is a major event marking the entry of the United Nations into the new millenium. Jiang Zemin, State president of China as a founding member of the United Nations and permanent member of its Security Council, will lead a delegation to attend this grand meeting and will deliver an important speech at the Millenium Summit and the summit meeting of the Security Council, expounding China's stand on a series of major strategic issues, including the defense of peace, promotion of development, the establishment of a new international political and economic order and the strengthening of the role of the United Nations. China's active participation in the UN activities is an expression of the high attention it has paid to the United Nations.

The United Nations, founded at the end of World War II, is a fruit of victory in the world anti-fascist war. Its birth and the formulation of its Charter comply with the objective requirement for the progress of the time and express the strong desire of the people of various countries for the elimination of the calamities of war and reflect the glorious ideals of human beings for the establishment of a new world featuring peace, equality, cooperation and prosperity. Over the past 55 years since the founding of the United Nations, the world has experienced earth-shaking changes and the United Nations has traversed a none too smooth path. During the period of Cold War, although the United Nations did not fully express its purpose and properly give play to its functions, with the common efforts of the vast numbers of member states, the United Nations has done a great deal of useful work and made positive contributions to alleviating regional conflicts, eliminating colonialism, promoting arms reduction and giving an impetus to world peace, cooperation and development. Its position, role and influence on the world are irreplaceable by any other international organization and group of states.

Since the end of the Cold War, the general trend of the world situation has been featured by relaxation. The voice of the people of various countries for peace, stability and development has been rising high with each passing day. Nevertheless, the world is by no means at peace, world peace and development still face various obstacles and threats. In the international political, economic and security arena, power politics and hegemony still run amuck, regional conflicts occur one after another, the gaps between North and South continue to widen. Humankind is seriously plagued by these problems: The environment is worsening, weapons are proliferating, population is swelling, poverty and unemployment, the rampage of narcotic drugs, international crimes and terrorism, as well as the lack of guarantee for the rights and interests of women and children. The gradual solutions of these global problems depend not only on the efforts of various countries themselves, but also on the mutual coordination and close cooperation between nations.

Political multi-polarity and economic globalization are the two major trends of the future world.

Today, along with the rapid development of science and technology, the interdependent relations between countries have become closer. In order to meet the various challenges facing the subsistence and development of humankind, people strongly hope for the establishment of a just and reasonable new international political and economic order, the construction of an international peace environment featuring security, reliability and long-term stability and the creation of an international harmonious situation featuring independent choice and seeking common ground and reserving differences. For this end, the world is in greater need of the United Nations The United Nations, the inter-governmental international organization which coordinates the actions of various countries and which is most authoritative and representative, should all the more effectively perform its sacred duty of safeguarding peace and security.

Challenges and opportunities are testing the intelligence and capability of mankind. People of the world hope that statesmen of all countries can have the general situation in mind, go with the tide, take on their responsibilities and advance hand in hand to create a better world.



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