Chinese, Russian officials meet in Beijing to discuss UN affairs
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Criticism of the United Nations has been mounting recently, with some asserting that the organization's credibility has been compromised by ongoing delays caused by vetoes in the voting system.
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Russian, left, and Chinese flags sit on a table before a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, June 8, 2018 (AP)
China's Foreign Ministry reported on Wednesday that Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Miao Deyu and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin convened a meeting in Beijing to address matters pertaining to the United Nations and the UN Security Council.
"The Assistant Foreign Minister of China, Miao Deyu, and the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergey Vershinin, conducted Chinese-Russian consultations on April 3 2024 in Beijing, concerning UN and Security Council issues," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry stated that both parties agreed to collaborate in safeguarding multilateralism and the international relations system, with the United Nations serving as a focal point.
"The parties drew their attention to the in-depth exchange of views about the current international situation, topical issues of the United Nations and the UN Security Council, ‘future high-level meetings’ and pressing international and regional issues," the ministry said in a communique.
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Criticism of the United Nations has been mounting recently, with some asserting that the organization's credibility has been compromised by ongoing delays caused by vetoes in the voting system, as well as unequal representation due to a mere five members assuming permanent seats on the Security Council.
The latest instance of this defect has been the repetitive vetoes by the US on a direly needed ceasefire for Gaza. The first veto was exercised on October 18, 2023, with a Brazil-drafted resolution, the second was on December 8, 2023, with a UAE-drafted resolution, the third was on December 22, 2023, with a Russian-drafted resolution, and the fourth was on February 20, 2024, with an Algerian-drafted resolution.
A ceasefire was eventually voted on March 26. However, despite its approval, the massacre in Gaza persists.
In its BRICS declaration in August 2023, China called for a "comprehensive reform" of the UN, which Beijing regards as biased and Western-centered. It said that the UN Security Council should "increase the representation of developing countries," a move that could potentially compete with Western representation.
Earlier today, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is preparing for an upcoming visit to China in the near future for a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
The agenda will encompass discussions on bilateral cooperation, and collaborative efforts within the UN, BRICS, SCO, and the G20, along with addressing pressing issues such as the Ukrainian crisis.
