By Qiang Pen (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-11-22 07:38

China has paid its dues to the UN in time, one of China's representatives to the world body has said.

"This year, assessed contributions (UN membership dues) and peacekeeping assessments both will go up significantly for China, with the total being $270 million, a 42 percent increase against last year," a member of China's delegation to the Fifth Committee of the 62nd UN General Assembly, Yu Hong, said.

Speaking at a conference on "Improving the Financial Situation" of the UN in New York last week, he said China has provided equipment worth more than $50 million to its peacekeeping troops in Sudan and Liberia, too.

The country will pay the bulk of its outstanding peacekeeping dues before the end of the year, Yu said.

"China has a very good reputation in fulfilling its financial promises to the UN," Wu Miaofa, a UN expert with the China Institute for International Studies, said. "China has become an active participant and constructor of the organization."

The increase in China's financial contribution and its fulfilment of the promises show that it's willing to shoulder more international responsibility, he said.

The UN's financial condition has deteriorated this year because of the rise in unpaid contributions.

"A sound financial condition is most important for the UN to perform its functions as the most important world body," Wu said, urging all member states to honor their financial obligations in time.