Zhao Lijian Photo: VCG

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Monday called on some UN members to pay their dues promptly to ensure the normal operation of the organization.   

The UN is facing a worrying financial situation that is mainly caused by some members' delayed payment of dues, Zhao said at a Monday routine press conference. He noted that China has paid its assessed contributions to the UN's peacekeeping budget in full.  

This year marks the 50th anniversary of China's restoration to its legitimate seat in the UN. China has always maintained faith in upholding the international system with the UN at its core and supporting the UN in playing an important role in international affairs, Zhao said. 

On September 21, President Xi Jinping attended the general debate of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in Beijing via video link and delivered an important speech. This sent a clear signal that China supports the UN in playing a central role in international affairs and fully demonstrated the attention and support China attaches to the work of the UN, Zhao said.

As the largest developing country, a permanent member of the Security Council, and the second-largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget, China is always highly responsible and pays its dues promptly, Zhao noted.  

"The current financial situation of the UN is still worrying, and arrears of membership dues and peacekeeping assessments by some member states are one of the main reasons. 

"Multilateralism should be practiced, not stated. Relevant countries should pay UN dues and various assessments in a timely, full and unconditional manner to ensure the normal operation of the UN and fulfill its commitment to multilateralism with practical actions," Zhao said.

The US is the largest contributor to the UN ahead of China. However, media reports said earlier this year that UN member states owed nearly $2 billion in peacekeeping funds, with the US responsible for more than one-third of that. 

Global Times