China says it will defend UN System after ‘Board of Peace’ invite

China said on Wednesday, January 21, it would continue to defend the international system with the United Nations “at its core,” a day after confirming it had been invited to join US President Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace.”

Beijing acknowledged on Tuesday that it had received an invitation from Washington to join the board, which is aimed at resolving global conflicts, according to its charter.

China has not said whether it will accept the invitation. However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters on Wednesday that China’s position on the UN-led international order remains unchanged, regardless of global political shifts.

“No matter how the international situation changes, China firmly upholds the international system with the United Nations at its core, and international relations based on the objectives and principles of the UN Charter,” Guo said.

China, the world’s second-largest economy and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has long positioned itself as a defender of the UN system, while also calling for reforms to better reflect current global realities.