By Wu Xian
The World Anti-Fascist War was a just war waged in the 1930s and 1940s by the Allies together with all anti-fascist forces worldwide against the aggression of the Axis powers – Germany, Japan and Italy – and their satellite states.
The United Nations (UN) was founded on the great victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and stands as the common achievement of the Allied nations. It plays an important role in maintaining international peace and advancing global governance structures forged in the post-war era.
As a principal Allied Power, China took part in the entire process from the UN’s preparation to its establishment.
In January 1942, China joined the U.S., the Soviet Union, and the UK in leading 26 nations to sign the Declaration by United Nations in Washington, D.C., cementing the global anti-fascist coalition.
In October 1943, China, the U.S., the Soviet Union, and the UK signed the Declaration of the Four Nations on General Security at the Moscow Conference, jointly calling for the creation of a “general international organization” (later named the UN) to maintain international peace and security, with China as one of the original signatories facilitating its adoption.
At the November 1943 Cairo Conference, China helped shape the Cairo Declaration with the U.S. and UK, establishing key legal principles for the post-war order alongside the Potsdam Proclamation.
During the August-October 1944 Dumbarton Oaks Conference, China collaborated with the U.S. and UK, and the Soviet Union to draft the UN Charter framework.
In February 1945, the Yalta Conference established the fundamental structure of the UN and confirmed China as one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
From April to June 1945, the Chinese delegation participated in the UN Conference on International Organization, signed the UN Charter, and in October the UN was officially founded.
China has contributed many concepts and proposals with distinctive Chinese characteristics, which are rooted in its historical traditions and development practices. Notably, it has consistently championed the interests and aspirations of smaller and vulnerable nations. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, proposed by China, evolved into a guiding framework for implementing the UN Charter’s purposes. These principles established practical guidelines for resolving international disputes and advancing greater democratization of international relations.
More profoundly, China’s participation gave the UN greater universality and representativeness, and strongly promoted decolonization and modernization globally.
China has continuously enriched the content of the UN Charter through its actions, upheld the international system with the UN at its core, and opposed unilateralism and hegemonism.
In safeguarding world peace and security, China has dispatched more than 50,000 personnel to 30 UN-authorized peacekeeping missions worldwide. It steadfastly advocates political solutions, promotes dialogue among equals, and opposes the use of force or sanctions bypassing UN Security Council authorization.
Significantly, China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity have both been written into UN General Assembly resolutions, serving as a connectivity platform benefiting 172 countries and international organizations, and as a key pathway to addressing global governance challenges.
China has significantly advanced South-South cooperation through dedicated funds benefiting over 60 countries and 30 million people. The establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and New Development Bank further delivers vital financial support to developing economies, accelerating regional prosperity.
In global climate governance, China has pledged to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, promoted the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and taken the lead in driving a global green transition.
Remarkable progress has been made in poverty reduction, with China becoming the first nation to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals. The country met the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’s poverty reduction target 10 years ahead of schedule. Its contribution to global poverty reduction exceeds 70 percent.
Moreover, China is the second largest contributor to the UN regular budget and peacekeeping assessments, and its China-UN Peace and Development Fund has supported nearly 180 projects benefiting over 100 countries, making solid contributions to world peace and development.
Over the past eight decades, the world has witnessed profound changes. From the blood-stained Eastern battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War to being the first country to sign the UN Charter; from championing national self-determination for emerging countries to fully supporting the sustainable development of developing nations; and from breaking the zero-sum mentality for easing regional conflicts, to advancing the Global Security Initiative for safeguarding the post-war international order—China, as a responsible major country, has always stayed true to its original aspiration. It has made important contributions to safeguarding world peace, promoting common development, and addressing global challenges.
Today, China continues to pursue its modernization to foster shared global prosperity, inject certainty into a turbulent world, and contribute wisdom and strength to the cause of human peace, progress, and development.
(Wu Xian is a special research fellow at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.)
Staying true to founding mission of United Nations
