UN Secy Gen. Ban Ki-moon meets with Chinese Foreign Minister

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UN Secy Gen. Ban Ki-moon meets with Chinese Foreign Minister

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with visiting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. The two leaders discussed topics including international peace, regional security, climate change and sustainable development.

CCTV’s Su Yuting has more.

Ban said cooperation between China and the United Nations is getting stronger every year. He praised China for establishing a peace and development fund for the UN, and its increased contributions to UN peace-keeping missions.

“No matter how the times may change, what must remain unchanged are the basic norms governing international relations, by which I mean sovereignty and territorial integrity, and non-interference in others’ internal affairs. The goal of peacefully settling disputes should not be changed. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China will remain steadfast in upholding the purposes and principles of the UN charter” Wang Yi, Chinese foreign minister said.

Ban spoke highly of China’s role in promoting world peace and stability. He also stressed to China that differences over the disputed South China Sea need to be resolved peacefully.

“I did stress to Minister Wang as I have with all other countries involved, the need to avoid any escalation or misunderstandings that could put security and development in the region at risk ” Ban Ki-moon said.

Wang Yi reiterated his long-standing position of the Chinese government, adding that any effort to reject dialogue or to unilaterally initiate arbitration without the concern of the other party would be against the spirit of the international rule of law, and would distort the purposes of the UN convention on the law of the sea.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the restoration of China’s legitimate seat in the UN. China hopes to take the opportunity during Ban Ki-moon’s visit to further consolidate and deepen bilateral cooperation with the UN.