China's Position Paper on UN Reforms (full text)

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-06-08 11:35

5. The proposed "Democracy Fund"

The Secretary-General should first give explanations of the source, rules of use, and assessment procedure of the proposed "Democracy Fund" for the benefit of further discussions.

China disagrees with the classification of countries into "democratic" and "non-democratic" nations.

IV. Strengthening the UN

1. The UN General Assembly (UNGA)

The General Assembly is an important body of democratic decision-making. China is in favour of enhancing its efficiency and its decision-making capability through reforms.

China favours the adoption of a comprehensive package of reforms to revitalize the General Assembly. We are open to proposals from any quarter.

China favours streamlining and optimizing the UNGA agenda. Each year, UNGA may hold discussions on some major substantive issues of interest to various parties, the developing countries in particular. The unnecessary items can be removed from the agenda on a year-by-year basis and in a balanced way.

China values the constructive role played by the civil society in international affairs, and is ready to continue discussions on setting up an interactive mechanism between UNGA and the civil society. Participation of the civil society in the work of UN should not alter the Organization's inter-governmental nature, nor should it hamper its working order and efficiency.

2. The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

China welcomes and supports the reforms of the UN in economic and social fields, and is of the view that the reforms should comply with the orientations, principles, objectives and emphasis defined by the relevant UNGA resolutions, and should be government-led.

The work in economic and social fields should aim at implementing the Millennium Development Goals and decisions made at other major UN summits and conferences and focus on financial assistance, technology transfer, capacity building, market access, and poverty alleviation with a view to maintaining the continuity and coordination of the policies of international economic cooperation and development, and implementing the UN economic and development agendas in a comprehensive, coordinated and balanced manner.

China is in favour of turning ECOSOC into a high-level development forum for reviewing trends in international development cooperation and playing a coordinating role.

China supports the leading normative and strategy-setting role of ECOSOC in mapping out a global development agenda.

China favours holding an annual ministerial meeting to assess the progress made towards agreed development goals, particularly the Millennium Development Goals, and to discuss other development issues of interest to developing countries.

China endorses closer coordination between ECOSOC and Bretton Woods system, WTO, UNCTAD and other UN development agencies.

China supports the important role by ECOSOC in assessing famines, epidemics and major natural disasters and promoting collective responses to them.

3. The Security Council

The reform of the Security Council is multifaceted covering such important issues as enlarging the Council's membership, increasing efficiency and improving working methods. The reform of the Security Council should apply the following principles.

The reform should be conducive to enhancing the authority and efficiency of the Council and strengthening its capacity to deal with global threats and challenges.

Increasing the representation of developing countries should be given priority. Developing countries, who account for more than two thirds of the UN membership, are seriously under-represented on the Security Council. This situation must be reversed.

More countries, the small and medium-sized ones in particular, should be given more opportunities to enter the Council on a rotating basis to participate in its decision making process.

The principle of geographic balance should be adhered to, with representation of different cultures and civilizations taken into consideration.

All the regional groups should, first of all, reach agreement on reform proposals concerning their respective regions. The principle of regional rotation advocated by some countries also merits attention and consideration.

Achieving consensus through full democratic discussions is the important principle of the UN Charter. Its purpose is to accommodate the interests of all parties, especially the small and medium-sized countries. Only decisions thus made can win the most broad trust and support.

4. Reform of the Secretariat

China supports the efforts of the Secretary-General to make the Secretariat smaller but more efficient through reform of the management.

China endorses a more simple and practical planning and budgetary system and a timely examination of the programs and events approved by UNGA so as to determine their relevance and ensure adequate resources for them.

The recruitment of the staff of Secretariat should conform to the provisions of the UN Charter and take account of the principle of equitable geographical distribution and gender equality.

China considers it necessary to further increase the transparency, credibility, efficiency and accountability of the Secretariat.

5. The Military Staff Committee

China has serious reservations on abolishing the Military Staff Committee and is of the view that reform does not mean abolition. We may, through consultation, entrust the Military Staff Committee with new mandates in peacekeeping operations and security areas.