UNITED NATIONS - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday called on the international community to stand united and act together to defend, revitalize and strengthen the United Nations.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while presiding over a Security Council high-level meeting on upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centered international system.

Wang said the current international situation is undergoing the most complex and profound changes seen since the Second World War, stressing that the challenges confronting the world today test the international community's conviction to safeguard peace, its resolve to uphold justice, and its courage to pursue reform and innovation.

"We must unite and take action to uphold, revitalize and strengthen the United Nations," he said.

The Chinese foreign minister called for revitalizing the UN Charter to demonstrate stronger leadership, revitalizing the authority of the Security Council to demonstrate stronger capacity for action, revitalizing international development cooperation to harness stronger mobilization capabilities, revitalizing global governance platforms to foster stronger implementation capabilities, and revitalizing the effectiveness of the UN system to cultivate greater vitality.

Wang noted that over the 55 years since the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations, China, as a permanent member of the Security Council, has actively participated in and advanced the cause of the UN.

Standing at a new historical starting point, China will continue to uphold justice and pursue the righteous path, fostering greater solidarity with all nations under the banner of multilateralism, promoting the construction of a more just and equitable global governance system, and jointly marching toward the goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

ALSO READ: China calls for stronger global support for GGI and UN

Also on Tuesday, Wang held separate meetings with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and the foreign ministers of Bahrain and Indonesia, and exchanged greetings with high-level representatives from other participating nations, including Nicaragua and Kazakhstan.

The Security Council high-level meeting was convened at the initiative of China, the rotating president of the Security Council for May, and attended by representatives from over 100 countries, including more than 20 foreign ministers and high-level delegates. The UN secretary-general delivered a briefing on the current international situation.

China's contributions to UN cause

At the meeting of the Security Council, the Chinese foreign minister also briefed on his country's contributions to the UN cause. 

"Amid international turbulence and transformation, China holds its banner high," he pointed out.

China's important vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and the four major global initiatives have gained widespread international support, he said.

Amid frequent global conflicts, China promotes peace and encourages talks. China practices its unique way of resolving hot-spot issues, including establishing the Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine crisis on the UN platform, constantly contributing Chinese wisdom and efforts to maintaining world peace, said Wang.

The Global Development Initiative has mobilized over $23 billion of funds, supported over 1,800 cooperation projects, delivered up to 10,000 capacity-building programs for developing countries, and trained over 200,000 professionals in different fields, he noted. "This has given a strong boost to the development of the Global South," he added.

ALSO READ: Envoy: China supports UN as main channel for global AI governance

China earnestly fulfills its financial obligations as the second largest contributor to the UN regular budget. China has set up and made good use of the China-UN Peace and Development Fund and the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, he said.

Rejection of unilateralism bypassing UN Security Council

Asked at a press encounter on China's proposal to help the Security Council better carry out its mission, Wang called on the international community to reject all kinds of unilateral actions that circumvent the UN Security Council.

Wang said the council remains at the core of the international collective security mechanism and bears the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security through more than 80 years of changes and challenges.

"At the same time, we need to admit that in recent years, on major hot-spot issues, the Security Council has at times been absent. So in order to reinvigorate the UN, we need to first reinvigorate the Security Council," Wang told reporters.

China's position on qualifications for next UN chief

Outlining China's position regarding the qualifications required for the next UN secretary-general, he said the next secretary-general will have a bearing on the future of UN reform and the practical interests of UN member states.

"China believes that the next secretary-general should at least meet the following qualifications. First, to be firmly committed to upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Second, to have rich diplomatic and political experience and strong coordination capability. Third, to be able to uphold justice on major issues, in particular, to pay attention to the interests and aspirations of developing countries. Fourth, to be able to keep the UN reform on the right track to increase efficiency and effectiveness," said Wang.

READ MORE: China calls for upholding UN Charter, international rule of law

"To sum up, commitment to the UN Charter; outstanding competency; integrity and impartiality; and initiative to take responsibility and deliver," he said. "Going forward, China will work with others and take a responsible attitude to participate in the selection process of the next secretary-general."