WELL DONE: Chinese peacekeeping engineers in Lebanon are awarded UN Peacekeeping Medals (WANG YANBO)

More active role

China's stance in favor of developing countries is not only reflected by what it says, but also by its actions. According to Chen, China has been playing a leading role in the three major functions of the UN: peacekeeping and international security, development promotion, and human rights protection.

"In the past 40 years, China has actively promoted peaceful means such as consultations, dialogues and negotiations to solve international disputes and conflicts so as to maintain the authority and efficiency of the UN," said Wu. He noted that China has played constructive roles in dealing with a series of important issues such as the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, nuclear issue of Iran and issues in countries such as Libya, Sudan and Afghanistan.

Statistics show that by the end of August this year, China had dispatched more than 19,000 peacekeeping forces and civil affairs officials for 28 UN peacekeeping operations, bigger numbers than any other permanent member of the Security Council.

China has also made great progress in its economic development and lifting its people out of poverty in the past decades. Zheng Qirong, Vice President of China Foreign Affairs University, said China is very likely to meet all its UN Millennium Development Goals by 2015. "This can give impetus to the development of other developing countries and assist them in achieving the goals," Zheng told Xinhua News Agency.

In addition to its own development, China provides affordable assistances to other developing countries. By the end of 2009, the Chinese Government had exempted debts of 50 impoverished countries and least developed countries, totaling 25.6 billion yuan ($3.94 billion). Its total foreign assistance was 256.29 billion yuan ($39.43 billion). In order to help African countries cope with the famine in the Horn of Africa, the Chinese Government decided to provide 443.2 million yuan ($68.18 million) in assistance via the United Nations and other bilateral channels.

China has also made contributions in promoting human rights protection. On the stage of the United Nations, China puts forward concepts such as a harmonious world, human-based society and scientific development to the world community. "These concepts greatly promote human rights development," said Chen.

African Ambassador's Say

Ambassador of Morocco Jaafar Alj Hakim:

Let me first through your magazine ChinAfrica share the joy of the Chinese people for this happy event marking the 40th anniversary of the restoration of the People's Republic of China's rights at the United Nations.

For Morocco, its relations with China, as a great friend, have a long history, and in November 2011, the two countries will celebrate the 53rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties described as excellent.

The Kingdom of Morocco, in fact, is the second African country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.

As for Sino-African relations, China has always provided a very important contribution to economic and social development of Africa, particularly through the investment, transfer of technology, agriculture, health, infrastructure, mining and energy resources, executive training.This contribution has increased more since the launch of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2000. This forum has allowed both parties to register now in a strategic partnership.

Ambassador of Zimbabwe Frederick Shava:

China is playing a very stabilizing role in the United Nations. We are pleased that China is a permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations with its background of a developing country. We believe that China is also looking at the interests of developing countries in the United Nations.

With respect to Zimbabwe itself, China exercised its veto for the sixth time to protect Zimbabwe against some punitive sanctions that some Western countries such as the United Kingdom want to impose on Zimbabwe.

China also plays very positive and effective roles on other issues of global stability. It's very good that Africa supported China to be a member of the United Nations, and China implemented its roles very well.