President Hu Jintao on Friday pledged that China would
continue to safeguard the United Nations' authority and support its
role in international affairs with a "responsible and constructive"
attitude.
Hu made the remark during a meeting with UN Secretary-General
Designate Ban Ki-moon in Beijing.
"The United Nations is at a crucial historic period," Hu said,
citing the rising global challenges and possible threats.
China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and the
world's biggest developing country, has always been a firm force in
promoting world peace and development, Hu told Ban, who will
succeed Kofi Annan as the UN chief in January.
"We will continue to support the UN secretary-general's work and
make our contribution to the world peace and development," Hu
said.
Ban arrived in Beijing on Friday for a one-day visit to China in
his capacity as foreign minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK). He
is visiting the five permanent UN Security Council members
following his election as secretary-general two weeks ago.
Noting China has a significant and positive influence on
international affairs, Ban said he would cooperate closely with
China and make joint efforts to address issues including UN
reform.
Ban said he is committed to building a harmonious United Nations
and making it play a bigger role and winning more support and
trust.
Following the meeting with Hu, Ban exchanged views on the Korean
Peninsula nuclear issue with State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan.
Tang said the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is at a
crucial stage and concerned countries should be more flexible to
help the situation develop in the direction of de-escalation.
"Related parties should keep calm and restrained in dealing with
the issue to prevent the conflict from escalating," Tang told Ban.
"They should safeguard and promote the process of the Six-Party Talks and guide the situation towards
the peaceful settlement of the issue through dialogue and making
the peninsula nuclear-free."
Ban appreciated China's positive efforts on the issue and said
the ROK's position is close to China.
Before meeting Hu, Ban also held talks with Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.
Observers say Ban would play a more positive and flexible role
in resolving the latest crisis resulting from the nuclear test by
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on October 9.
Ban was the ROK's top negotiator in the stalled Six-Party Talks
aimed at making the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons. Ban
was reported to have said he would visit the DPRK, but did not say
when.
As an ROK diplomat, Ban has an advantage in the settlement of
the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, said Wu Miaofa, a
researcher at the China Institute of International Studies.
"You can't expect Ban to solve the tough and complicated problem
by himself, but you can expect him to play a more active and
flexible role in the issue," Wu was quoted as saying by
Beijing-based Global Magazine.
(China Daily October 28, 2006)
