China’s vice-president urges development and multilateralism in UN address

Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng used his address to the United Nations General Assembly to present development and multilateral cooperation as answers to global challenges. Han said China had achieved rapid economic growth and long-term social stability. He argued that countries could not develop without an open and cooperative international environment and warned that protectionism would produce no winners.

His remarks came a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping met U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington. Han’s speech made no direct mention of Taiwan, despite tensions between Beijing and Washington over the self-governing island, which China claims as part of its territory.

Han placed development at the centre of the global agenda, saying it could raise living standards and contribute to peace. He also highlighted the Belt and Road initiative, saying China had worked with three-quarters of the world’s countries through related projects. He called for disputes to be settled through dialogue and consultation and opposed unilateral military action that violated the UN Charter or bypassed Security Council authorisation.

On Iran and the wider Middle East, he said the sovereignty and security of countries, including Gulf states, should be respected. Han also called for greater empowerment of the Global South and urged mutual trust, respect and coexistence among cultures. He said multilateralism had emerged from humanity’s experience of conflict.

Wang Zichen of the Center for China and Globalization said the choice of a vice-president rather than the president did not itself show reduced Chinese interest in the UN. China’s recent General Assembly representation has varied among senior officials.