79th United Nations Day Event

A recording of these remarks can be found on YouTube

H.E. Miao Deyu, Member of the CPC Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs,

Ambassadors,

Distinguished Guests,

My incredible colleagues, the leaders of the UN Country Team,

Ladies and Gentleman,

On behalf of the United Nations Country Team in China, I extend a warm welcome to you to our celebration of the 79th UN Day.

I wish to express our gratitude to the Government of China, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the fruitful collaboration we have experienced during my tenure as Resident Coordinator.

Your dedication to commemorating this special occasion with us truly reflects the spirit of cooperation we deeply value.

To all the Ambassadors and our partners, your continuous support bolsters our shared commitment to realizing the UN Charter’s core goals - creating a world where peace, human rights, and sustainable development are realities for everyone.

To my colleagues in the UN country team in China, your hard work, energy, and dedication epitomize the values we share as international civil servants. It is a true privilege to serve the UN in China with you.

This year’s UN Day not only marks 45 years of the UN’s presence in China but also precedes the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 2024. 

These milestones allow us to reflect on China’s notable progress in improving the lives of its people.

When our office opened in this compound in 1979, 90% of China's population lived in poverty, with a per capita GDP of $180.

China was then a net recipient of aid.

Since then, China has rapidly transformed, opening to the world while investing in human capital, infrastructure, and business, and growing into a $18 trillion economy. 

This transformation lifted over 750 million people out of extreme poverty, helping to feed and sustain one-fifth of the world's population with just 9% of the world's arable land.

I have observed textbook examples of this transformation.

This includes visiting a desertification control effort near Ordos in Inner Mongolia with the UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed last year.

The Kubuqi desert, the home of this significant initiative involving a 2-million-kilowatt photovoltaic project, shows what China can often do best, bringing together government, local communities, and enterprises to reduce soil erosion, mitigate sandstorms, develop renewable energy and create decent job opportunities.

During the visit, I was particularly moved by stories from children of desert herders being provided more access to quality education, and getting admission into some of China’s top universities. 

Similarly, in Shenzhen, one of China’s youngest cities, we convened a Pre-Summit of the Future dialogue where we engaged the local business community, including young leaders in the tech sector. 

Having visited Shenzhen on multiple occasions, once a humble fishing village, this megacity epitomizes the remarkable transition China has undergone in the lives and livelihoods of its people since reform and opening up.

Today, hearing from these young future leaders in Shenzhen and elsewhere in China and their vision to make the world a better place through new technology and innovation continue to inspire the UN family to support their ideas and help them realize their full potential.

But there is more work that remains ahead. 

During his recent visit to China, UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the rising global tensions in discussions with President Xi Jinping and other Chinese government officials. 

Conflicts are expanding, with nearly 80 ongoing worldwide, and poverty and hunger are unfortunately on the rise alongside growing inequalities.

The worsening climate crisis further complicates efforts to make peace with nature.

This challenging global situation hinders our progress toward achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

The UN Secretary-General has strongly advocated for rescuing the SDGs.

To address these challenges, we need 21st-century solutions through a more interconnected and inclusive multilateral approach that leverages global expertise. 

This encompasses the Pact for the Future, an initiative designed to accelerate the SDGs through development financing reforms while adhering to the Paris Agreement by promoting a just transition from fossil fuels to ensure a habitable planet for everyone.

However, achieving the 2030 Agenda is impossible without China's leadership or with China acting alone. 

As we wrap up the current Cooperation Framework next year and begin planning a new one for 2026-2030, our priorities will continue to align with our values, norms, and standards in contributing to the country’s next 5-year development plan. 

We remain committed to supporting national ownership while collaborating with all our partners from academia, civil society organizations, and the private sector.

During the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, the Secretary-General stated, “The people of the world are looking to us and succeeding generations will look back on us. Let them find us on the side of the United Nations Charter…on the side of our shared values and principles…and on the right side of history.” 

Now is the time to act, aspire, connect, and transform for our common future. 

Doing so requires us to give international cooperation and multilateralism a real chance.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

I wish to conclude my speech with this poem.

In a world that feels fractured and bare,

Where hope seems lost in thin air,

Let us reach out, hand in hand,  

Strive together, break down barriers in every land.

Though the skies above are dim,

In our hearts, a light can brim,

For in each soul, a common thread,

A shared humanity, ever widespread.

Mountains may rise, valleys may fall,

But in the United Nations we stand, answering a call,

To weave a tapestry, rich and grand,

In unity and love, across every land.

Let us build bridges, not divide,

Embrace our differences, stand side by side,

In a song of peace, let voices blend,

For in togetherness, our world will mend.

Through the storm, rise through despair,

For love and hope, can repair,

The fragments of this world as we are torn,

Let a new dawn rise, solidarity be reborn.

Through laughter, tears, joy, and sorrow,

Together we forge a brighter tomorrow,

In compassion, let's take delight,

In our common humanity, let us unite.