Celebrity Media Editor's Note: At the historic milestone of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the UN General Debate and delivered a comprehensive and profound speech. His remarks not only recalled the original intention of establishing the UN after the victory of the anti-fascist war but also emphasized the challenges and choices facing the international community today.
In his speech, Premier Li Qiang highlighted three fundamental insights: Peace and development are the common aspiration of all peoples, solidarity and cooperation are the strongest driving forces for human progress, and fairness and justice are important values pursued by the international community. He warned that the world should not repeat the mistakes of unilateralism and hegemony, but instead should uphold multilateralism and international law, safeguarding the authority and status of the United Nations.
Facing the challenges of a new century, China demonstrated great-power responsibility. From actively promoting global security, climate change, and AI governance, to fostering inclusive economic growth through the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, China has provided both concrete actions and wise solutions to the UN, while conveying the vision of building a "community with a shared future for mankind."
Premier Li spoke with emotion, recalling how seeing 190 national flags flying in front of the UN Headquarters and the “Swords into Plowshares” sculpture was a reminder that the original aspiration must not be forgotten. Though today’s world is still turbulent, as long as nations work together, we can overcome obstacles and jointly build a fairer, more peaceful, and more prosperous future.
This speech was not only a reflection on history but also a call to action for the future. It reminded the international community that at the crossroads of turmoil and division, only by upholding the purposes of the UN Charter and adhering to cooperation and justice can the ideals of peace and the dreams of development take root in every corner of the world.
Mr. President, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen:
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. Eighty years ago, fascism was defeated through the heroic struggles of countless heroes and the contributions of women worldwide. The UN was founded based on their vision of a world without war, marking the extraordinary post-war process of establishing an international order to seek peace and development. The past 80 years have been painful yet purposeful. Today, the UN has become the most universal, representative, and authoritative intergovernmental organization in the world. The UN-centered international system, under the guidance of international law, has enabled overall peace for humanity and unprecedented development and prosperity.
The past 80 years have witnessed tremendous changes. Crossing two centuries, human society has advanced from electricity and computers to the digital intelligence era. Although the world has changed dramatically, the aspiration to make it better has remained unchanged. Looking back, we can draw valuable lessons.
First, peace and development are the strongest common aspirations. After experiencing two world wars, we must never forget the painful lessons paid with blood and sacrifice. For 80 years, the peaceful international environment has driven global prosperity. Today, as the desire for peace and the need for development grow stronger, our generation has the responsibility to further strengthen the forces of peace and development.
Second, solidarity and cooperation are the strongest driving forces for human progress. During the golden era of the anti-fascist war, nations with different systems, histories, and cultures set aside differences, fought side by side, and achieved victory together. Over the next 80 years, humanity jointly experienced the Cold War, financial crises, and global pandemics. The facts prove: solidarity uplifts us, while division drags us down. Though the road ahead may be arduous, as long as countries unite and cooperate sincerely, we can pool great strength to withstand headwinds and overcome obstacles.
Third, fairness and justice are important values pursued by the international community. History repeatedly reminds us that when power dictates truth, the world faces division and regression. Returning to the law of the jungle would mean the weak abandoned and the strong rampant, leaving humanity in bloodshed and violence. As members of the global family, we must uphold justice and pursue fairness. Only when all nations, big or small, are treated equally and truly practice multilateralism can the rights and interests of all be better protected.
Today, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. Unilateralism and Cold War mentality are reemerging. The international rules and order established over the past 80 years are increasingly challenged, and once-effective systems are frequently disrupted. The resulting conflicts and humanitarian disasters are heartbreaking. Humanity once again stands at a crossroads: Why can we not draw wisdom from suffering, treat each other with conscience and reason, and achieve peaceful coexistence? Faced with humanitarian crises and blatant trampling of fairness and justice, how can we stand idle? Faced with hegemony and bullying, how can we remain silent and submissive? How can we allow the sacrifices of those who founded the UN to fade into history?
As a Chinese saying goes: “Never forget why you started, and you can accomplish your mission.” Arriving at the UN Headquarters, I saw 190 national flags flying in the wind; I saw the “Swords into Plowshares” sculpture sending a message across time; I saw staff from different regions and skin colors working hand in hand for humanity’s common goals. These scenes remind me that they embody peace, progress, and development—the very reasons we commemorate victory, inspiring us to innovate and advance together. Though we cannot relive past victories, we can certainly create a better future together.
As a founding member of the United Nations, China has always actively participated in global affairs and worked to improve human well-being. President Xi Jinping proposed the concept of a “community with a shared future for mankind” and put forward the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative, and Global Governance Initiative, offering Chinese wisdom and solutions to the international community to drive transformation and address urgent challenges.
In particular, the Global Governance Initiative, combined with the recent proposals of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, emphasizes upholding sovereign equality, respecting international rules and laws, practicing multilateralism, and advocating a people-centered and action-oriented approach. This points the way toward a more just and fair global governance system. China is ready to coordinate with all parties, propose concrete solutions, and promote world peace and development.
On peace and security, China stresses that all nations belong to the same global village, relying on each other for security. We should adhere to the concept of common, cooperative, and sustainable security, resolving differences through dialogue and consultation, while opposing bloc confrontation and threats of force. China is the second-largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget and the country that deploys the most peacekeepers among the Security Council permanent members. It has actively promoted political solutions to hotspot issues, including the Ukraine crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
On economic development, China advocates revitalizing cooperation, opposing unilateralism and protectionism, and promoting inclusive globalization. China’s economy has maintained long-term stable growth, contributing about one-third of global growth, remaining the world’s second-largest importer for many years, and cooperating with over 150 countries. Currently, China is advancing high-quality development with confidence to continue strongly supporting the global economy.
On cultural exchange, China emphasizes that different civilizations all have unique values and should learn from each other rather than engaging in superiority or ideological confrontation. In the next five years, China will carry out 50 cooperation projects with developing countries and host 200 training and seminar programs, contributing to dialogue and progress among civilizations.
On addressing new challenges, China stresses the need to jointly protect humanity’s shared home, actively tackle climate change, adhere to the Paris Agreement, and advance green, low-carbon development. China has built the world’s largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system and new energy industry chain. It has also proposed a Global AI Governance Initiative and promoted the establishment of a World AI Cooperation Organization. During this UNGA session, China will also submit lunar soil samples collected by Chang’e-6.
China is ready to work with all parties to uphold the authority and purposes of the UN Charter, support UN reform, and enhance the representation of developing countries. China will work with the UN to establish a Global South-South Development Facility, provide funding support, and cooperate with the UNDP to set up a Global Center for Sustainable Development in Shanghai to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The tide of history surges forward, and the path of justice is unwavering. Looking ahead, China will continue to fully promote world peace and development, work with all nations to uphold the ideals of the UN, carry forward multilateralism, and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind, making the world more harmonious and beautiful.
Thank you.
