UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for a “restart” between the United States and China and suggested that the United States could work with the communist regime on issues such as “climate action”.
Guterres was asked whether he agreed with the comments of President Biden’s nominee for UN ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who said at her confirmation hearing that China is promoting an “authoritarian agenda” in Turtle Bay.
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“Well, regarding the United Nations, I can assure you that we are strongly committed to ensuring that the UN is a beacon of all values related to peace, security, development and human rights,” Guterres told reporters. “But what is important to me is to say that I hope that we will see a redefinition between the United States and China with different dimensions.”
Although he said that the two countries have “completely different views” on human rights, he said that “there is an area that I believe there is a growing convergence of interests in and my appeal is that this area be pursued by both sides together with the whole international community – and that area is climate action. “
He said he believes the two countries will be involved in the 26th UN Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP26) and in the transition to carbon neutrality, among other issues. He called for “serious negotiation” on issues such as trade, competition and technology.
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For years there has been growing concern about Beijing’s influence at the UN, with the Trump administration moving to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization because of its alleged pro-China bias.
Although the Biden government is likely to have a less aggressive stance towards China than the Trump administration, and a more conciliatory approach to the UN in general, Thomas-Greenfield acknowledged China’s threat at the UN.
“We know that China is working across the UN system to drive an authoritarian agenda that opposes the institution’s founding values - American values,” Thomas-Greenfield told legislators on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during its confirmation hearing. . “Their success depends on our continued withdrawal. This is not going to happen under my command.”
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Guterres on Thursday praised the steps the Biden government has taken towards the UN, including stopping WHO’s withdrawal, returning to the Paris climate agreement and pledging more humanitarian aid to the Middle East.
“All of these things are creating a very positive expectation and I can say that we will work closely to fully support these policy changes that go according to what has been our ongoing position in relation to strengthening multilateralism and the understanding that only cooperation international and unity is the way to face the challenges of the current world ”, he said.
Fox News’ Ben Evansky contributed to this report.