UN resolution on WWII anniversary carries historical, practical significance

It is of great historical and practical significance that the UN General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, a Chinese envoy said at the UN headquarters on Thursday.

Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, made the remarks after the resolution was adopted by consensus at the 69th session of the 193-member assembly.

Its sponsors include China and nearly 40 other countries, including Belarus, Brazil, Germany, India, Mongolia, Poland, Russia, Serbia and Vietnam.

The assembly asked its president to hold a special solemn meeting in the second week of May 2015 in commemoration of all victims, according to the resolution.

Noting that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the UN and the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, Liu said that Monday's open debate on maintaining international peace and security, which was initiated by China as president of the Security Council for February, has ushered in a prelude to a series of commemoration activities.

He said the open debate has sent two signals: one is that member states should reflect on history and reaffirm their commitments to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter; the other is that member states should look into the future and explore effective ways to maintain international peace and security.

With such a theme, the open debate, together with the commemoration meeting of the victory of the Second World War in May and a series of meetings to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the UN in September, has formed a main-line of this year's activities, he pointed out.

Mentioning that 70 years ago, the World Anti-Fascist War won a great victory, which is the victory of justice and also the victory of the people who love peace around the world, Liu said that China is an important member of the anti-fascist alliance and Chinese people have made great contributions to the victory of the war.

China hopes to join other member states in reflecting on history and looking into the future so as to fulfill the commitment of "saving succeeding generations from the scourge of war" which is imprinted in the UN Charter, said Liu.

China also would like to build with the other member states a new type of international relations centered on win-win cooperation, so as to make a better world with peace and harmony, he said.