China consistently upholds the banner of peace, development and cooperation, pursues, as always, an independent foreign policy of peace, and persists with the development of friendly relations with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence--mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence.
It is the fundamental mission and the basic goal of China's diplomacy at present as well as in the years to come to safeguard the important period of strategic opportunities for China's development, to strive for a peaceful and stable international environment, an environment of good neighborliness, an equal and mutually beneficial climate for cooperation and objective and positive recognition from the international community, and to facilitate the building a well-off society in an all-round way.
China will continue to promote world multi-polarization, democracy in international relations and diversification of the modes of development. It will steer the global economy toward the direction that is conducive to the common prosperity of all nations. Dedicated to multilateralism and a new security concept, China rejects hegemony, power politics and terrorism of all forms, thereby stepping up the establishment of a fair and reasonable international order. The country is set to deepen its mutually beneficial cooperation with other developing countries and safeguard their shared interests. Adhering to the principle of treating neighbors as friends and partners, it will strengthen friendly and cooperative ties with neighboring countries to deepen regional cooperation. It will further boost its relations with developed countries in the spirit of seeking broader common ground and resolving disputes in a proper manner. China will take an active part in multilateral international diplomatic activities, maintain and strengthen the authoritative and leading role of the United Nations (UN) and its Security Council, and make constructive efforts in regional organizations. It is also poised to beef up across-the-board economic linkages and cultural exchanges with other countries, while readily protecting the lives and legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese citizens.
The Chinese Government and people are willing to commit unremitting efforts to the common cause of sustaining and promoting peace, development and progress together with all the other nations in the international community.
China and the UN
China is an original member of the UN and is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council. It acknowledges the irreplaceable role of the UN in international affairs. China supports UN initiatives in solving sensitive and complex issues within the UN framework in various areas such as arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
China has been active in international affairs and has been fully fulfilling its financial obligations to the UN, on time and unconditionally. At the end of 2006, China contributed 2.053 percent to the UN budget, up from the 0.995 percent in 2000. It is the ninth largest donor among all member countries and the largest donor among developing countries.
In 2006, China continued its support for the reform of the UN. On May 9, 2006, it was elected as an inaugural member in the newly founded UN Human Rights Council. China, along with other Asian countries, supports the policy of rotating the UN secretary general position among different regions and welcomes Ban Ki Moon from the Republic of Korea as new secretary general. Ban is the first Asian to hold the position of this largest international organization in 35 years. On November 9, Margaret Chan from China's Hong Kong was elected director general of the World Health Organization. She is the first Chinese to hold the top position in a UN agency.
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An officer of the UN peacekeeping force awards medals to Chinese peacekeepers. China has always been active in participating in UN-sponsored activities.
In 2006, China participated actively in disaster relief initiated by the UN. It sent medical teams to earthquake-stricken regions in Pakistan and Indonesia and delivered large amounts of medical and daily supplies. It also donated large amounts of goods to mitigate the human disaster in the Darfur region of Sudan.
China has expanded its participation in peacekeeping operations sponsored by the UN. It ranks 12th among all UN member countries and the first among the five permanent members of the Security Council in terms of the number of dispatched peacekeepers. In September 1988, China submitted an official application to join the Special Committee on Peace Keeping Operations. In April 1990, it sent five military observers to the UN Truce Supervision Organization, one of the oldest subsidiary organs of the UN, which was the first time that Chinese military personnel participated in UN peacekeeping operations. By the end of 2006, 6,000 Chinese military personnel, police officers and civilian officials had participated in 16 UN peacekeeping operations in conflict-ridden regions in Liberia, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Haiti and Sudan. On July 26, 2006, Du Zhaoyu, a UN military observer from China, was killed in the Israeli bombing of a UN peacekeeping station in Lebanon. Peacekeepers from China are highly commended by relevant UN agencies and the governments and people of hosting countries, for being disciplined, valiant and dedicated.