Chinese envoy calls for addressing root causes of conflict through development

Fu Cong (C, front), China's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks during a Security Council open debate on poverty, underdevelopment and conflict at the UN headquarters in New York on June 19, 2025. China's permanent representative to the United Nations on Thursday stressed the need to address the root causes of conflict from a development perspective. Poverty and underdevelopment are the major root causes of conflict. Many hot-spot issues remain long unresolved and require comprehensive solutions, Fu said. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, June 20 (Xinhua) -- China's permanent representative to the United Nations on Thursday stressed the need to address the root causes of conflict from a development perspective.

Poverty and underdevelopment are the major root causes of conflict. Many hot-spot issues remain long unresolved and require comprehensive solutions, Fu Cong told a Security Council open debate on poverty, underdevelopment and conflict.

He emphasized the need to help developing countries bridge development gaps, noting that the international community should bring development back to the center of the international agenda, invest in poverty reduction, education, employment, and capacity building, and strive to leave no country and no individual behind.

Fu called for stronger global development partnerships and improvements to global governance.

Developed countries should earnestly fulfill their official development assistance commitments and step up financial and technical support for developing countries, he said.

There is a need to advance reform of the international financial architecture to better reflect the changes in the world economic landscape and to increase the representation and voice of developing countries, he added.

Fu urged countries to promote inclusive and mutually beneficial economic globalization.

Countries should advocate universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, jointly uphold the multilateral trading system, build an open world economy, and oppose unilateralism, protectionism, and the practice of putting one's own interests above the interests of other countries, he said.

China has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order, Fu noted.

He said China's Global Security Initiative advocates common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.

He also highlighted China's active role in global development efforts, "working to implement the Global Development Initiative and engaging in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation for common development."

Fu also spoke about China's domestic efforts.

China is endeavoring to build itself into a stronger country and rejuvenate the Chinese nation on all fronts by pursuing Chinese modernization. China has successfully blazed a modernization path suited to its national conditions, he said.

"With our success, we have given other developing countries greater confidence in pursuing modernization, and brought extensive opportunities for the modernization of all countries in the world."

China stands ready to work with the international community to build a world of peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation, and common prosperity, Fu said. ■

A Security Council open debate on poverty, underdevelopment and conflict is held at the UN headquarters in New York on June 19, 2025. China's permanent representative to the United Nations Fu Cong on Thursday stressed the need to address the root causes of conflict from a development perspective.

Poverty and underdevelopment are the major root causes of conflict. Many hot-spot issues remain long unresolved and require comprehensive solutions, Fu said. (Xinhua/Xie E)