Chinese envoy calls on UN to promote multilateralism, development

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Friday called on the United Nations to promote multilateralism, focus on development and fight climate change.

Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), made the appeal in his remarks after hearing a briefing by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on his priorities for 2022.

Stressing the need to practice true multilateralism, Geng said that protectionism and unilateralism will ultimately hurt the interests of others as well as one's own.

He said that spreading hate speech and prejudice, inciting ideological antagonism, and holding back economic and technological advances of other countries will only result in confrontation and division in the world.

Noting that the UN chief's priorities put forward approaches and initiatives on strengthening cooperation and improving global governance to tackle current and future challenges, Geng said that China will actively participate in the thematic discussion in the General Assembly scheduled for February.

Calling on the world to fight the pandemic together, Geng said that countries need to expand cooperation in vaccine production, research and development in medicines to ensure the equitable distribution of vaccines, speed up vaccination in developing countries and bridge the immunization gap.

"We should address the urgent needs of developing countries in advancing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, focusing on promoting cooperation in such fields as poverty reduction, connectivity, food security, green development, and digital economy," Geng said.

It is imperative to protect and improve people's well-being, protect and promote human rights in the process of development, and let the fruits of development benefit all people, he said.

As to green development, Geng said the world, while upholding the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, should promote international cooperation on climate change and implement the outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Developed economies need to take the lead in fulfilling emission reduction responsibilities and deliver on commitments to providing financial and technical support so as to create necessary conditions for developing countries to address climate change and achieve sustainable development, he added.