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Vice Foreign Minister Qiao Zonghuai yesterday reiterated China's position in the reform of the UN, saying "priority (of the reform) should be given to increasing the representation of developing countries especially African countries."

 

Qiao made the remarks when meeting with Japan's Deputy Minister for Foreign Policy Masaharu Kono in Beijing.

 

"Top of the agenda for the UN reform should be to promote the progress of the regions that have arrived at a consensus among member states, with a particular emphasis on the issue of development," Qiao said.

 

The decision must be made on the basis of a consensus among member states after sufficient consultation and discussion, he added.

 

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has pushed forward the reform of the Security Council, arguing that the council still reflects the balance of power seen at the end of World War II.

 

The council currently has 10 non-permanent seats that rotate for two-year terms, in addition to the five permanent members China, the US, Russia, Britain and France who have veto power.

 

Japan has been seeking a permanent seat on the UN's most powerful council, and has worked with Brazil, Germany and India to try to increase the number of both permanent and non-permanent members.

 

But its efforts failed at a UN General Assembly session in September when these countries abandoned plans to seek a vote on their proposal after failing to win sufficient support.

 

That failure prompted calls within Japan's Foreign Ministry to maintain the so-called Group of Four framework while also focusing on Japan's alliance with the US.

 

"China opposes voting on any reform plan over which there is a large amount of disagreement between UN members," Qiao said.

 

Qiao also exchanged views with Kono over other issues of mutual concern.

 

China-Japan relations have soured after Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi took office in 2001 and began his annual visits to a Tokyo shrine for the war dead which China, along with other Asian countries, see as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.

 

Despite repeated requests by Beijing and Seoul to stop the pilgrimages, Koizumi visited the Yasukuni Shrine in October, triggering a further freeze in diplomatic ties.

 

(China Daily December 27, 2005)