Munich, February 18, 2024, The Europe Today: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi underscored China’s commitment to promoting global stability and enhancing international governance during a keynote speech at the ongoing Munich Security Conference’s “China in the World” session on Saturday.
Wang acknowledged the serious challenges facing the current international system, emphasizing the threats posed by unilateralism and power politics. He reiterated the collective call of the international community to revitalize multilateralism and strengthen global solidarity.
Addressing the need to fortify the authority and core status of the United Nations (UN), Wang emphasized that the purposes and principles outlined in the UN Charter remain crucial and must be strengthened, not weakened. China, he noted, has become the largest troop contributor to peacekeeping operations among the UN Security Council’s permanent members and the second-largest contributor to the UN regular budget and peacekeeping assessments.
Wang expressed China’s strong support for the Security Council’s central role in addressing peace and security matters and advocated for a UN Summit of the Future to devise practical solutions to contemporary challenges.
Regarding climate change, Wang highlighted China’s positive role in achieving the UAE Consensus at the UN Climate Change Conference. He emphasized China’s commitment to historic reductions in carbon emission intensity, asserting that China will fulfill its promises in combating climate threats.
In the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), Wang called for the establishment of an international AI governance body under the UN framework to collectively safeguard humanity’s well-being.
Wang highlighted China’s active efforts to strengthen solidarity and cooperation in the Global South, including the expansion of BRICS membership and supporting the African Union’s inclusion in the G20. He stressed China’s dedication to increasing the representation and voice of developing countries in global affairs to create a more balanced and effective global governance architecture.
As the world’s largest developing country, China is committed to providing public goods within its capacity, Wang stated. He highlighted various initiatives, including the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, as manifestations of China’s contributions to addressing global challenges through cooperation, openness, and equality.
Wang concluded by emphasizing the importance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. He reiterated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory and Taiwan affairs are internal matters for China. In adherence to basic international norms, Wang stressed the significance of upholding the one-China principle to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He firmly opposed any pursuit of “Taiwan independence” for the sake of safeguarding regional peace and stability.
