|Hu Jintao Delivers an Important Speech at the UN Summit|
On the morning of September 15, 2005, the summit on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations held another plenary session at which Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered an important speech entitled Making Great Efforts to Build a Harmonious World with Long-lasting Peace and Common Prosperity, comprehensively elaborating China's opinions and position on the current international situation and major international issues and raising specific suggestions on strengthening the role of the UN, pushing forward UN reform and promoting international development cooperation.
Hu pointed out that the new century opens bright prospects for the progress of human society. In the critical historical period of coexistence of opportunities and challenges, all the countries must unite closely to truly build a harmonious world with long-lasting peace and common prosperity.
The plenary session, co-chaired by Prime Minister Goran Persson of Sweden which holds the presidency of 60th UN General Assembly and President Omar Bongo Ondimba of Gabon which is the presidency country of the 59th UN General Assembly, started at 9:00 a.m. local time. The heads of state and government present at the session continued with discussions on such issues as pushing forward the UN reform, maintaining world peace and promoting development and cooperation.
In his speech Hu noted that at this solemn and significant moment the leaders or their representatives of countries in the world gathered together to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations, reiterated our commitment to adhering to the purpose and principles of the UN Charter and demonstrated our determination to safeguard world peace and promote common development. It is a common aspiration of people all over the globe and the common consensus of far-sighted statesmen of all countries in the world.
Hu noted that the establishment of UN is a historic event in the human history. Over the past 60 years the organization has played an important role of and scored major achievements in safeguarding world peace, pushing forward common development and promoting human civilization.
Hu raised the following suggestions on building a harmonious world with long-lasting peace and common prosperity:
First, we should set up the new security concept of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and collaboration and establish a fair and effective collective security mechanism. We should encourage and support the efforts to settle international disputes or conflicts through peaceful means and strengthen cooperation and fight resolutely against terrorism. As the core of the collective security mechanism, the role of the UN can only be strengthened and must not be weakened.
Second, the UN should take tangible measures to implement the millennium development goals, especially accelerate the development of developing nations and make the 21st century "the century of development for everyone" in a real sense. We should actively push forward the establishment of an open and fair multilateral trade mechanism without discrimination and further improve the international financial system; reinforce global energy dialogue and cooperation and jointly maintain energy security and stability of the energy market; promote and guarantee human rights and enable every one to enjoy the equal opportunities and rights to seek comprehensive development. Developed nations should take greater responsibilities for realizing universal, coordinated and balanced development in the world.
Third, we should respect the right of each country to independently choosing its social system and development road and support the efforts of countries to realize rejuvenation and growth according to their own national conditions. We should maintain the diversification of civilizations in the spirit of equality and openness, reinforce dialogue and exchanges among different civilizations and join hands to build a harmonious world where various civilizations coexist.
Fourth, we should safeguard the authority of the UN through reasonable and necessary reform, raise the efficiency of the organization and strengthen its capacity of coping with new threats and challenges. The UN reform is all-dimensional and multi-sectoral. The reform should focus on increasing UN's input in the development areas. The reform of the Security Council should give more consideration to the representation of the developing countries, especially the African nations so that more countries, especially the small and medium-sized countries will have greater opportunities to participate in the decision making of the body.
Hu reiterated that China will firmly hold high the banner of peace, development and cooperation and follow the road of peaceful development. China will unswervingly combine its own development with the progress of humanity. China's development, instead of hurting or threatening anyone, can only serve peace, stability and common prosperity in the world.
At the end of his speech Hu stressed that in the long history of human progress, the fate of people all round the world has never been as close and interdependent as today. Our common goals unite us and common challenges combine us together. Let's join hands to make great efforts to build a harmonious world with long-lasting peace and common prosperity!
Hu's speech received warm applause from the audience and active responses from the leaders of countries present at the session.
At the plenary session which started on September 14, the leaders of developing nations stressed the issue of strengthening development cooperation. Leaders of some African countries like Kenya and Nigeria noted that although African countries shoulder the major responsibilities of economic and social development it is still necessary for the developed countries to adopt measures such as debt relief for African countries and especially reinforce the development cooperation among different countries to fulfill the tasks defined in the millennium development goals. As to the issue of strengthening the role of the UN, leaders of such countries as Iran, Qatar, Tajikistan and the Netherlands advocated practicing multilateralism to strengthen the collective security mechanism and required the UN to play greater role in safeguarding world peace and promoting common development. On the issue of the UN reform, leaders of Rwanda, Senegal, Botswana and Tanzania raise the requirement of increasing the representation of African countries.
The 3-day UN summit includes 6 plenary session, 4 roundtable meetings and 1 conference on financing for development.