| UN hopes for larger Chinese role in multilateral humanitarian efforts |
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| Thursday,April 23,2009 Posted: 16:46 BJT(0846 GMT) |
| From:xinhua Article type:Reproduced |
BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations hoped China would get more involved in humanitarian efforts by multilateral and multinational institutions, a senior UN official said here Wednesday.
There was "a great response internationally to the Wenchuan earthquake" in southwest China last year and "in the same way, China can help other countries when they are also suffering from problems," said John Holmes, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator.
"We think the Chinese government has done an extremely effective and efficient job both in immediate relief operations and, as far as we can see, in the recovery and reconstruction," Holmes said in an interview with Xinhua.
He said some UN agencies were helping quake zone recovery and reconstruction and the UN system was very ready to offer expertise.
Speaking of World Earth Day, which was Wednesday, Holmes said he believed that climate change would produce more and more intense disasters "so we need to work together as an international system to reduce the impact of the disasters before they happen.
"China is actually very good at that," said Holmes. "You have been taking a lot of steps to reduce the impact of flooding, you have good experience in how to do with drought, and that is experience that can be shared with the rest of the world."
Holmes praised cooperation between China and member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as well as trilateral cooperation among China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
He said such cooperation was a collective international effort to reduce the impact of disasters.
With regard to China-UN cooperation, Holmes said the UN had very good cooperation with China's ministries of civil affairs and commerce, the China Earthquake Administration and the National Committee on Disaster Reduction and wanted to improve that cooperation.
The UN hoped to involve China more deeply in international cooperation through regular consultations, contacts, conferences and initiatives, said Holmes.
Holmes arrived in China Monday at the invitation of the Ministry of Commerce.
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