Wang Yi Meets with Co-Chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform of the 76th Session of UNGA

On February 22, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), namely Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani and Permanent Representative of Denmark to the UN Martin Bille Hermann, via video link in Beijing.

Wang Yi said, the Security Council is the core of the international collective security mechanism. In the current turbulent international environment, the Security Council needs to improve its capacity and efficiency through reform, so as to better perform its duties entrusted by the UN Charter. China has always supported the reasonable and necessary reform of the Security Council and has always made constructive efforts to this end.

Wang Yi said, the reform of the Security Council should give priority to increasing the representation and voice of developing countries, so that more countries, especially small and medium-sized ones, have more opportunities to participate in the decision-making of the Security Council. This is both the original intention and the direction of the reform of the Security Council.

Wang Yi stressed, the reform of the Security Council is a systematic project that requires a package solution striking a proper balance among five major issues involved in the reform. When pushing through the reform, it's necessary to build consensus, adhere to the leadership of member states, reflect their consensus, and ensure that the results are acceptable to them. The status of intergovernmental negotiations as the main channel should be upheld.

Wang Yi expressed the hope that the two co-chairs, bearing in mind the long-term development of the UN and the common interests of all member states, will guide all parties to enhance their understanding of each other's positions, so as to push forward the reform of the Security Council on the right course steadily and soundly.

Al-Thani and Hermann appreciated China's efforts to safeguard multilateralism and strengthen the role of the UN, and extended congratulations on the successful Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. They said, the reform of the Security Council is complex and sensitive, and will continue to adhere to the leadership of member states, fully listen to their opinions, and strive to broaden consensus and reduce differences. The co-chairs expressed readiness to strengthen communication and coordination with all member states, including China, to steadily advance the reform process of the Security Council.