Global Times （2015-10-09 P16） By Li Yincai
Chinese President Xi Jinping joined the UN summits from September 26 to 28. More than 150 national leaders and governmental representatives were present in New York to discuss the world peace and development, marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the UN. During these three days, Xi took part in several multilateral summits, and held bilateral talks with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as well as many national leaders. Xi clarified China's ideas and policies on development, security, human rights and other issues, demonstrating China's accountability as the second largest economy and its full support to the UN.
China's devotion to the UN has witnessed a dramatic increase in recent years. Currently, the share of Chinese dues has climbed from 2.6 percent five years ago to 5.15 percent, ranking sixth globally. The ratio is expected to reach nearly 8 percent in the next three years, with China becoming the third largest contributor to the UN following the US and Japan.
Beijing's contribution to the peacekeeping budget has increased from 3.9 percent to 6.6 percent in the last five years. This March, the number of Chinese soldiers involved in peacekeeping operations has reached 2,371, nearly twice the number of soldiers from the other four UN permanent members. China has also deployed 700 combat troops to South Sudan earlier this year.
In addition, Beijing, by making full use of its permanent seat, has played an active role in the regional security issues. For instance, China holds a firm stance on the Syrian crisis, and is devoting increasing efforts to the domestic reconciliation and reconstruction in Afghanistan and South Sudan. Besides, for the first time, Beijing and Washington have co-hosted the high-level meeting over Afghanistan reconstruction and regional cooperation. This has reflected China's interests in Afghanistan affairs.
Beijing's contribution in social and economic development is even more outstanding. China's rapid growth in the past 30 years, as well as its achievements in the fields such as sanitary, education, women's rights and infrastructure, have laid solid foundation for the UN to promote its development schemes and to realize its concrete aims. To facilitate the post-2015 development agenda, Xi, representing the Chinese government, announced a number of policies, including funding South-South cooperation, reducing debt and establishing training and scholarship projects.
In terms of the climate change, Beijing has already set a peak for emissions last year. This time, China pledged to cut its carbon emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 60-65 percent by 2030. Despite the achievement of the greenhouse gas curbing plan, the pledge to cut carbon emission will pose more pressure on China's domestic economy. Furthermore, China announced its plan to establish a 20 billion yuan ($3.1 billion) South-South Cooperation Fund on Climate Change, supporting green projects of other developing countries.
Beijing's efforts in cutting carbon emissions have injected strong impetus into the stumbling climate change negotiations. The outcomes of the bilateral talks between China and the US, the world's two largest emitters - have paved way for the climate change negotiations to be held in Paris at the end of this year.
Above all, Xi's diplomacy toward the UN is characterized by four elements. First of all, China, as the UN founding member, the Security Council's permanent member and the world's second largest economy, is devoting to provide more public goods and development aid to the international community. China is revealing itself as a positive and accountable nation to the world.
By providing more resources and entrusting the UN more rights in handling cyber security, China is aiming to strengthen the dominant status of the UN in the multi-lateral management of global issues.
Beijing regards the UN's role in security and development highly, and is instilling more Chinese plans and ideas into these two areas. Lastly, by promoting democracy and legislation in international relations, China is aiming to build the UN as an authoritative platform to enhance South-South cooperation and improve benefits of developing countries.
The author is a research fellow from the Institute of International Relations at Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. http://epaper.globaltimes.cn/2015-10-09/P16.htm
