China will uphold world peace, says Xi on anniversary of return to UN

President Xi Jinping vowed on Monday that China would always uphold world peace and international rules, amid concerns expressed by the United States and other countries over the nation’s increasing assertiveness globally.

The comments come after Taiwan said this month that military tension with China was at its worst in more than 40 years, amid mounting worries that the giant neighbour might try to take back by military force the self-ruled island it claims as its own.

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In a speech marking the 50th anniversary of China’s return to the United Nations, Xi said it would always be the “builder of world peace” and a “protector of international order,” state news agency Xinhua said.

In 1971, the United Nations voted to recognise the People’s Republic of China, expelling Taiwan from the world body.

China has also staked its claims more assertively to disputed territories with India on its Himalayan border, with some southeast Asian nations over the South China Sea, and with Japan over some islands in the East China Sea.

“China resolutely opposes all forms of hegemony and power politics, unilateralism and protectionism,” Xi said, calling for greater global cooperation on issues such as regional conflicts, terrorism, climate change, cybersecurity and biosecurity.

He urged all countries to promote the values of peace, development, justice, democracy, freedom, making use of a phrase the “common values of all mankind” that he coined and first mentioned in a July speech for the 100th anniversary of the ruling Chinese Communist Party.