UN Charter indispensable in maintaining peace, stability: Chinese FM

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, center, presides over a meeting of the United Nations Security Council at UN headquarters in New York, February 23, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

UNITED NATIONS -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday that the Charter of the United Nations, adopted 70 years ago, has great relevance today and continues to play an indispensable role in maintaining world peace and stability.

Wang made the remarks while presiding over an open debate of the UN Security Council with a theme of "Maintaining International Peace and Security: Reflect on History, Reaffirm the Strong Commitment to the Purposes and the Principles of the Charter of the United Nations." China assumes the rotating presidency of the Council for the month of February.

The great victory in the World Anti-Fascist War 70 years ago has profoundly changed the world ever since, he said. "In the process when people reflected on the past and envisioned the future, the United Nations came into being, ushering in a new chapter of solidarity of mankind and progress in international relations."

On June 25, 1945, the San Francisco Conference unanimously adopted the Charter of the United Nations, which set out an ambitious blueprint for the "people of the united nations" to come together to build a better world, Wang said.

"The Charter affirms the strong determination of the international community to prevent war and maintain lasting peace, " he stressed.

At the outset, he said, the Charter defines the purposes of the UN as maintaining international peace and security, "which embodies the world's deep reflection over the two world wars and the great yearning of all countries to be free of war, fear and want."

"For 70 years, the Charter has inspired one generation after another to make unrelenting efforts for the lofty cause of world peace," said the foreign minister.

"The Charter defines the basic norms governing contemporary international relations. It clearly sets forth the principles of sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs and respect for territorial integrity," Wang said, adding that the Charter also advocates that disputes should be settled through peaceful means, countries should refrain from the use or threat of force and threats to security should be removed through cooperation.

According to the Chinese envoy, these basic norms serve the fundamental and collective interests of all countries and peoples. Though written into the Charter 70 years ago, they still have great relevance today and continue to play an indispensable role in maintaining world peace and stability.

The Chinese envoy also highlighted the fact that the Charter puts in place safeguard mechanisms to prevent war and uphold peace.

"It identifies the rights, responsibilities and duties of UN agencies and the member states, authorizes the Security Council to assume primary responsibility for upholding international peace and security and provides that coercive measures must have the mandate of the Security Council and that collective security mechanisms shall replace traditional military alliances and the outdated law of the jungle," he added.