China is an important country in the international community in both political and economic terms, making contribution to the world's peace and stability, a senior official with the United Nations (UN) told Xinhua in Hangzhou City Friday. 

"China is a responsible nation," said Anand Panyarachun, former Thai prime minister and chairman of the panel of eminent persons on UN reform and the UN's role, who is attending the Asia High-level Symposium on Threats, Challenges and Change in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province.

Anand said China, as a populous developing country, has created the world's fastest economic growth, which the international community has called a "peaceful rising." China has always been dedicated to peaceful coordination with other countries and in recent years has conducted a good partnership for cooperation with other countries, he said.

Therefore, China's prosperity is welcomed, said Anand, adding that "some countries are still suspicious that the rising China will pose a threat to them, which is not necessary at all."

The UN will celebrate its 60th founding anniversary next year, Anand said. Asian countries and the UN are facing the same problem concerning peace and security. Over the past 10 years, security problems have been prominent as terrorism, infectious diseases, poverty, as well as international and domestic disparity led to unbalanced, unequal and unsustainable development.

The UN should seek solutions so that the future development of the world can be more even, equal and sustainable, Anand said, and it should also progress with the times and promote its reform.

He said that when the UN Charter was signed in 1945, many Asian and African countries were still colonized and did not participate in the signing of the UN Charter. At present, UN members have reached 191, and the international economic and political situation has undergone drastic changes.

Any organization in the world which has operated for such a long time needs inspection on its structure, achievements and future task, he said.

"We are reviewing whether the UN Charter conforms with the current political and economic situation," Anand said.

He said the panel of eminent persons on UN reform and the UN's role is mainly responsible for raising suggestions on the UN's policies, mechanism and construction, so as to help ensure the UN could take more consistent collective actions in accordance with the diversified situation.

The symposium, as the first regional one of the panel, is being held here from April 2 to 4 at the request of the UN eminent persons panel and presided over by former Chinese Vice-Premier Qian Qichen.

Participants including members of the panel, former high-ranking officials of some Asian countries and renowned experts and scholars will have discussions on three major topics, namely, threats and challenges to the international peace and security, collective actions of the international community, and the UN's operation, coordination and reform.

(Xinhua News Agency April 4, 2004)