For the first time, the five-star red flag was raised at the United Nations

For the first time, the five-star red flag was raised at the United Nations

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Return of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations

Author:Meng Yan (China Foreign Affairs University)

Half a century ago, the flag of the People's Republic of China was raised at the United Nations for the first time. For this moment, the Chinese Communists carried out diplomatic mediation, demonstrated superb diplomatic wisdom, and achieved major diplomatic results. Revisiting China's return to the United Nations will help us strengthen our diplomatic self-confidence, carry forward the spirit of struggle, enhance our ability to struggle, and constantly open up a new situation in major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

The United Nations is composed of sovereign states, is the largest, most important, most representative and authoritative international organization in the contemporary world, officially established on October 24, 1945, China is the founding member of the United Nations and a permanent member of the Security Council. According to the basic principles of modern international law and the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations, after the founding of New China, the Chinese Kuomintang authorities in Taiwan should be replaced as the legitimate representatives of the United Nations, but due to the hostility and obstruction of the Western capitalist countries headed by the United States, China's legitimate seat in the United Nations continues to be stolen by the Taiwan authorities. To this end, New China waged an arduous struggle for 22 years, and finally on October 25, 1971, all its legal rights in the United Nations were restored, and at the same time, the representatives of the Chiang Kai-shek clique were expelled from the United Nations and all its institutions. The process can be roughly divided into three stages: the first stage is 1949-1959, which is the initial stage of adhering to principles and waiting patiently; the second stage is 1960-1970, which is the stage of making breakthroughs and advancing in an all-round way; the third stage is 1971, which is the year of final victory.

In 1945, Mao Zedong appointed Dong Biwu as a representative of the Chinese Communist Party to attend the founding congress of the United Nations in San Francisco, USA. Dong Biwu participated in the drafting of the CHARTER of the United Nations, attended the signing ceremony of the Charter of the United Nations, and made important contributions to the completion of the Charter of the United Nations.

This was the first important appearance of the Chinese Communist Party on the international stage.

After the founding of New China, the "Taiwan issue" became the core issue of China's return to the United Nations. On November 15, 1949, Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai sent a telegram to the United Nations, demanding that all rights of the illegal Kuomintang delegation be banned; on January 8, 1950, with the support of the Soviet Union, Zhou Enlai again issued a statement to the United Nations. On December 22, 1950, Mao Zedong, when reviewing and revising the draft Statement of the General Assembly on the Illegal Adoption of the Resolution of the Korean Armistice Committee, stated that "the US invading forces must withdraw from Taiwan, and the representatives of the People's Republic of China must obtain the legal status of the United Nations ... "In the face of U.S. obstruction, sabotage, and threats, China has no fear and persists in the struggle. In 1956, China again made it clear: "The condition for our entry into the United Nations is that there can be only one China, not only in the United Nations General Assembly, but also in the Security Council and various other organizations." ”

China has always adhered to the "one-China" principle and regarded it as the fundamental principle for all countries to establish diplomatic relations with China, proposing that countries that have established diplomatic relations with China need to support China in restoring its legitimate seat in the United Nations. There is no retreat at this point, nor does it accept any compromise. Mao Zedong expressed resolute opposition to the so-called flexible "transitional methods" proposed by some friendly countries, such as "one China represents the whole of China and the Taiwan bloc represents Taiwan," and "if there are representatives of Taiwan in the United Nations, we will not go in for ten thousand years." Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai saw very clearly that returning to the United Nations would require a protracted struggle and "a plan not to enter the United Nations for ten or twenty years." At the same time, China has taken advantage of the favorable international situation to make friends and continuously improve its international influence, which is the key to China's return to the United Nations. China advocates the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and has made continuous breakthroughs in peripheral diplomacy, multilateral diplomacy and exchanges with Western countries, showing the image of China as a great power in peaceful diplomacy, greatly expanding the international living space, and beginning to change the balance of forces within the United Nations.

In the 1960s, the power of the Third World rose, China's circle of friends continued to expand, and the internal influence of the United States in the United Nations weakened.

In 1961, the 16th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the topic "Seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations", and the United States' attempt to use the "postponement of discussion" to obstruct China's attempts had failed, and instead began to use the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations on "important issues" to make the issue of China's representation, which did not apply to the provisions, an "important issue" that had to be decided by a two-thirds majority of the member states present and voting, thus creating another obstacle for China's return to the United Nations. However, the international situation at this time has changed dramatically. National liberation movements are surging around the world, and more and more countries are becoming more and more independent. In 1960 alone, 17 countries in Africa became independent. UN member states increased by more than 40 during this period. China has been strengthening its ties with third world countries, and from 1960 to 1964, it has established formal diplomatic relations with 14 Asian, African and Latin American countries. Chinese leaders have visited Asian and African countries many times, and from the end of 1963 to the beginning of 1964, Zhou Enlai visited 14 countries in Asia, Africa and Europe, which had a huge international impact. On the other hand, some Western countries began to establish diplomatic relations with China and strengthen mutual ties, especially the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France in 1964, which shocked the world and helped to break down the political and economic barriers against China led by the United States. China's own development and continuous improvement of its international status have won the recognition and support of more and more countries, paving the way for China's return to the United Nations. In 1965, when the 20th session of the United Nations General Assembly voted on the proposal made by Albania and other countries to "restore all the legitimate rights of the People's Republic of China and recognize it as the only legitimate representative of China", for the first time, the votes in favor were equal to the votes against. China has taken another big step forward on the road back to the United Nations. By 1970, for the first time, votes in favor of China's restoration of its legitimate seat in the United Nations outperformed the vote against. China's efforts to return to the United Nations have borne fruit.

With the détente in Sino-US relations, especially after kissinger's secret visit from July 9 to July 11, 1971, and Nixon's visit to China in 1972, a large number of countries began to adjust their China policies, and China's return to the United Nations ushered in a new historical opportunity. On July 15, 1971, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the request of Albania and 18 other countries to include the proposal of "restoring the legitimate seat of the People's Republic of China" in the agenda of the 26th session of the UnIPO. On August 2, the United States repeated the "Important Issues" and "Dual Representation" cases to the United Nations General Assembly. In this regard, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement solemnly pointing out: China will never allow the emergence of a situation of "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" in the United Nations. On 18 October, the United Nations General Assembly began a thematic debate on "Restoration of the Legitimate Rights of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations", which lasted for a full week, with the number of sponsors in albania (Albania and Algeria) increasing from 18 to 23. Many representatives of developing countries criticized the long-term anti-China policy of the United States and opposed the creation of "two Chinas" at the United Nations, and the US conspiracy was completely bankrupt. On the evening of October 25, 1971, in the voting on the "question of China's representation", the United Nations General Assembly finally adopted the famous "Resolution 2758" by 76 votes in favor, 35 votes against and 17 abstentions, declaring that "the representatives of the Government of the People's Republic of China are the only legitimate representatives of China in the United Nations, and the People's Republic of China is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council" by 76 votes. On November 1, the five-star red flag was raised for the first time at the United Nations. On November 15, the delegation of the People's Republic of China, headed by Qiao Guanhua, officially attended the 26th session of the UnIPO. So far, the issue of the representation of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations has been thoroughly resolved politically, legally and procedurally.

This is a major victory for New China's peaceful diplomacy over the past 20 years or so, and a major victory in adhering to the "one-China" principle; "This is a victory for the people of the Chinese and the people of all countries in the world!" "The return of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations has opened a new situation for New China's multilateral diplomacy and opened a new chapter in the history of the United Nations.

China is a socialist country and a developing world power, and China's development cannot be separated from the world, and the development of the world is inseparable from China. The United Nations, as the world's largest inter-state international organization, would be incomplete in itself without China's participation, and many problems would not be fundamentally resolved. Since its return to the United Nations, China has become more and more involved in international affairs, its status in the United Nations has been continuously enhanced, its international influence has been continuously enhanced, and it has made important contributions to maintaining world peace and security, promoting sustainable development in the world, and promoting global environmental governance. In the face of the current severe and complex international situation, standing at a new historical starting point, China will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and win-win results, adhere to an independent foreign policy of peace, safeguard the international system with the United Nations as the core, "promote the whole world to achieve greater unity and progress under the banner of the United Nations", and "make unremitting efforts to achieve sustainable peaceful development in the world and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind!"

Source: Guangming Network