responsibilities and taking effective actions; the EU supports the UN’s efforts in
addressing international peace and security threats, and undertakes to intensify
cooperation with the UN.^2 Of course, as the EU is only a regional international
organization and is not a member of the UN, the EU’s role in the UN is indirect
rather than direct; the EU plays its role in the UN Security Council mainly by
coordinating positions and actions of its member states.
China always pays attention to and supports the essential role of the UN in areas
of international peace and security and has expressed this position in China’s
foreign policy papers for many times,; for example, China clearly pointed out in the
Position Paper at the 67th UN General Assembly in 2012 that the UN played an
irreplaceable role in international affairs, and China has always actively advocated,
supported and practiced multilateralism, vigorously promoted the fundamental role
of the UN in international affairs, and continued to participate actively in the UN’s
activities in various areas.^3
The foundation for China-EU cooperation in the UN Security Council lies in that
not only do both sides attach importance to multilateralism and the role of the UN,
but both sides also have a vital bearing on whether the UN Security Council can play
an important role. China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, while
though the EU itself is only an observer in the UN, two EU member states serve as
permanent members of the UN Security Council, and 2 or 3 EU member states serve
as elected nonpermanent members of the UN Security Council. Moreover, with the
development of the EU’s common foreign and security policy, the EU endeavors to
coordinate the positions of its member states in the international arena and attempts
to speak with one voice: with efforts to strengthen the EU’s internal coordination
within the UN, the EU will increasingly play an important role. Thanks to their own
strengths and influence, both China and the EU play important roles in regional and
international peace and security. Therefore, there is both a necessity for and a
realistic foundation to cooperation from both sides.
5.1.2 China and the EU Have, in Relevant Papers
and Documents, Both Acknowledged the Willingness
to Cooperate in the UN Security CouncilAs the EU is increasingly becoming an important subject of security and China
has improved in economic development and international influence, China and the
EU have gradually strengthened cooperation in areas of security, especially in
(^2) “A Secure Europe in a Better World: a European Security Strategy,”adopted by the European
Council on 12 December 2003.
(^3) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, China’s Position Paper in the
67th UN General Assembly, http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_chn/wjb_602314/zzjg_602420/
t970916.shtml.
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