Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei, head of the Chinese delegation to the 15th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit held in Egypt, said on Thursday China will continue to support NAM as always.
"As one of the developing countries, China will continue to support NAM as always for it to play a role in international affairs and speak in one voice on issues related to the common interests of developing countries," said He.
"This is the chief purpose of my presence at the summit on behalf of the Chinese government," he said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the summit.
He said that though great changes in internal and external circumstances have taken place since its birth nearly half a century ago, NAM is still an important platform for developing countries to unite and strive to become stronger, with its tenet and spirit still showing great vitality.
China, now an observer to NAM, has attached great importance to its ties with NAM and maintained good cooperation with the movement in international affairs.
When NAM was formally established in 1961, then Chinese PremierZhou Enlai and other Chinese leaders sent congratulation messages to the founding conference, expressing support for the NAM's cause of independence, peace and development and its non-alignment policy.
China became an observer to NAM in September 1992, when a Chinese governmental delegation, headed by then State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen, attended the 10th NAM summit in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. Since then, China has been a participant at every top NAM meeting.
At the 15th summit which wrapped up on Thursday in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, the Chinese vice foreign minister reiterated China's policy in strengthening cooperation with NAM to safeguard world peace, stability and development, particularly in jointly addressing the global financial crisis.
He told Xinhua that he has stressed in his speech at the summit that though the developing countries were not the maker of the global financial crisis, they are the most unfortunate victim. "This is unreasonable and unfair," he said.
He said besides the economic crisis and financial crisis on the tongues of men all over the world, the world is actually facing an unprecedented development crisis.
"Therefore, China has always urged the international community to attach great importance to the development issue when dealing with the financial crisis," the Chinese vice foreign minister said.
He said the world should increase input in development and work towards the realization of the UN Millennium Development Goals, as well as paying attention to major global issues, such as energy and food.
"If we don't do so, we will pay a higher price for our shortsightedness," He noted.
He said that at the upcoming G20 summit in Pittsburgh and the 64th session of UN General Assembly, both slated for September, China will continue to push the international community to give prominent importance to the development issue.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have repeatedly pledged that China would earnestly fulfill its aid commitments to other developing nations, despite the severe difficulties it is facing due to the financial crisis, He said.
"We will continue to work together with other developing nations to strengthen unity and cooperation, weather through hardships and strive to build a harmonious world featuring lasting peace and common prosperity," He said.
During the 15th summit, NAM member states reached consensus on promoting solidarity and ratified documents on jointly addressing international and regional issues.
Founded in September 1961, NAM devotes itself to striving for the interests of developing countries all over the world. The movement now groups 118 member states, 17 observer countries and 10 observer organizations, comprising nearly two-thirds of UN member states and 55 percent of the world population.
(Xinhua News Agency July 17, 2009)
