Sept. 23 - China firmly supports an Asian candidate in the election of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, said Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing at the general debate of the 61st UN General Assembly Friday.

 

Li noted that as the chief administrator of the United Nations, the Secretary-General has an important role to play. "China will firmly support an Asian candidate, and we are convinced that Asia can produce a competent and well-respsected Secretary-General acceptable to all member states," he said.

 

On UN reform, the minister said the United Nations needs to take firm steps in carrying out reform as enhancing its role through reform is in the common interest of mankind.

 

He said China welcomes progress in the UN reform and particularly progress in implementing the Outcome Document. The minister announced China's decision to pledge 3 million dollars to the UN Peacebuilding Fund, and reiterated the country's commitment to advancing UN reform to strengthen the unity and authority of the organization and enhance its efficiency and capacity to respond to challenges.

 

The UN reform, he said, should be comprehensive in coverage and progress should be made in security, development, human rights as well as other fields. More input should be made in development to facilitate the realization of the Millennium Development Goals, he added.

 

The UN reform, Li stressed, should satisfy, as far as possible, the needs of its member states, particularly those from the developing world. This reform should be a democratic process and full consultation should be conducted to reach extensive consensus, and major issues of controversy should be handled with caution and dealt with through in-depth consultation.