As China takes the gavel at the UN Security Council, its envoy has words for the US

At the start of Beijing’s month-long presidency of the United Nations Security Council, a senior Chinese diplomat on Monday outlined a multilateral agenda to appeal to the Global South – but not before he criticised the tariff, Panama Canal and AI policies of the US under Donald Trump.

“I do hope that, despite all the rhetoric that we have heard from the American politicians, we can take a constructive – and I will emphasise a professional – approach to our work here in the United Nations,” Fu Cong, China’s ambassador to the UN, said.

“There are so many things that need the cooperation of the two countries. Targeting China is not the right way forward.”

Fu said that during its February tenure China planned to address conflicts in the Middle East and Africa as well as UN reform. It would also promote multilateralism, capped by a high-level UN meeting on February 18 that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yiis to attend.

There would also be a marking of the third anniversary on February 24 of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he said, as well as conflicts to address in Syria, Gaza, Yemen, Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.