China has paid its dues to the UN in time, one of China's
representatives to the world body has said.
"This year, assessed contributions (UN membership dues) and
peacekeeping assessments both will go up significantly for China,
with the total being $270 million, a 42 percent increase against
last year," a member of China's delegation to the Fifth Committee
of the 62nd UN General Assembly, Yu Hong, said.
Speaking at a conference on "Improving the Financial Situation"
of the UN in New York last week, he said China has provided
equipment worth more than $50 million to its peacekeeping troops in
Sudan and Liberia, too.
The country will pay the bulk of its outstanding peacekeeping
dues before the end of the year, Yu said.
"China has a very good reputation in fulfilling its financial
promises to the UN," Wu Miaofa, a UN expert with the China
Institute for International Studies, said. "China has become an
active participant and constructor of the organization."
The increase in China's financial contribution and its
fulfillment of the promises show that it's willing to shoulder more
international responsibility, he said.
The UN's financial condition has deteriorated this year because
of the rise in unpaid contributions.
"A sound financial condition is most important for the UN to
perform its functions as the most important world body," Wu said,
urging all member states to honor their financial obligations in
time.
(China Daily November 22, 2007)
