On October 25, China hosted the Conference Marking the 50th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Lawful Seat in the United Nations in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered important remarks, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations in China attended the Conference. The highlights are as follows:

Xi said that fifty years ago today, the 26th Session of the General Assembly of the UN adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority, and that decision was made to restore all rights of the People’s Republic of China in the UN and to recognize the representatives of the Government of the PRC as the only legitimate representatives of China to the UN. It was a victory for the Chinese people and a victory for people of the world. On behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, Xi expressed heartfelt gratitude to all countries that co-sponsored and supported UN General Assembly Resolution 2758.

Xi pointed out that the restoration of New China’s lawful seat in the UN was a momentous event for the world and the UN, as the past 50 years have witnessed China’s peaceful development and its commitment and dedication to the welfare of all humanity.

Xi noticed that for these 50 years, the Chinese people have demonstrated an untiring spirit and kept to the right direction of China’s development amidst changing circumstances, thus writing an epic chapter in the development of China and humanity. 

Xi stressed that the Chinese people have upheld the authority and sanctity of the UN and practiced multilateralism and that China’s cooperation with the United Nations has deepened steadily.

Xi emphasized that the Chinese people have stood in solidarity and cooperation with people around the world and upheld international equity and justice, contributing significantly to world peace and development. 

China has unswervingly followed an independent foreign policy of peace, stood firm for fairness and justice, and resolutely opposed hegemony and power politics. The Chinese people are a strong supporter of other developing countries in their just struggle to safeguard sovereignty, security and development interests. 

Xi appealed the international community to choose cooperation over confrontation, openness over seclusion, and mutual benefit over zero-sum games, and be firm in opposing all forms of hegemony and power politics, as well as all forms of unilateralism and protectionism. Xi called for:

• We should vigorously advocate peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, which are the common values of humanity, and work together to provide the right guiding philosophy for building a better world. 

• We should jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and work together to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity. 

• We should stay committed to mutual benefit and win-win results, and work together to promote economic and social development for the greater benefit of our people. 

• We should step up cooperation, and work together to address the various challenges and global issues facing humanity. 

• We should resolutely uphold the authority and standing of the United Nations, and work together to practice true multilateralism.

It should be emphasized that over the past 50 years, China, with concrete actions, has lived up to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and has served as an important builder of world peace, the biggest contributor to global development, and a firm defender of international order. China has all along spoken up and acted for justice, and played a key role in upholding international equity and justice, and China’s vote in the UN always belongs to the developing world.

China and Ethiopia are good friends, partners and brothers. Ethiopia was one of the countries voted in favor of the UN Resolution 2758. The two countries share similar philosophy on international relations and both uphold an independent foreign policy and oppose foreign intervention. With mutual understanding and support on major international issues, the two countries have been working closely at global and regional levels. China speaks highly of the above cooperation. China will adhere to its consistent position and oppose external forces interfering in Ethiopia’s internal affairs under the cover of human rights.