UNGA starts general debate to seek global cooperation to address challenges

China

UNGA starts general debate to seek global cooperation to address challenges

2024-09-25 12:25 Last Updated At：18:47

The General Debate of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) began on Tuesday amid growing calls for more international cooperation to address challenges such as climate change, poverty and inequality, while tackling the fallout from ongoing conflicts and global health crisis.

World leaders are gathering at the UN headquarters based in New York to engage in the annual high-level general debate under the theme "Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations" and explore solutions to intertwined global challenges, so as to advance world's peace, security, and sustainable development.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the General Debate, saying that the world is now facing unprecedented challenges, as geopolitical differences continue to deepen, global temperatures continue to rise, and fierce wars make it difficult to see the prospect of peace.

He stressed that global solutions are needed to tackle these challenges.

Regarding the current situation in the Middle East, Guterres called on the international community to work together to achieve an immediate ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza, ensure the unconditional release of hostages, and take irreversible steps to implement the two-State solution.

He also emphasized that Lebanon is "on the brink" of crisis, and that all relevant parties should make efforts to prevent Lebanon from becoming another Gaza.

"Gaza is a non-stop nightmare that threatens to take the entire region with it. Look no further than Lebanon. We should all be alarmed by the escalation. Lebanon is at the brink. The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel, and the people of the world cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza," said Guterres. The Secretary-General also called for easing tensions in Sudan and other hotspot areas, advocating for the elimination of inequalities, reform of the UN Security Council, and strengthening of international solidarity.

President of the 79th session of the UNGA, Philemon Yang, told the opening ceremony that “The General Debate remains one of the world’s most inclusive, representative and authoritative platforms for global reflection and collective action. This year, the urgency of our task cannot be overstated.”

He addressed the various conflicts raging from the Middle East to Ukraine, and from Haiti to South Sudan. "I call for an immediate ceasefire in all these conflict settings," he said.

Noting that the Gaza Strip and Israel have been caught in a vicious cycle of conflict and retaliation for nearly a year, Yang called for an immediate ceasefire between the two sides and reiterated the correctness and importance of the two-state solution in addressing the crisis.

"I take this opportunity to call for an immediate ceasefire for the Hamas-Israel war, the unconditional release of hostages, and for all parties to abide by international law, including international humanitarian law, and work towards a just and lasting solution grounded in the United Nations Charter, relevant resolutions and international law ensuring dignity for both Palestinians and Israelis. Indeed, only a two-state solution can end the cycle of violence and instability, ensuring peace, security and dignity for both Palestinians and Israelis," said Yang.

The 79th session of the UNGA opened on Sept 10, and the first day of the high-level General Debate started on Tuesday and will close on Sunday.

Heads of state and governments as well as senior representatives from multiple countries will express their respective positions on and propose solutions to significant issues of common concern of the international community, such as addressing the worsening geopolitical conflicts, promoting sustainable development, and tackling global crises.

China closes 2025 with record 92 space launches

China closed 2025 with a record of 92 space launches and major breakthroughs were made in manned space launches, deep space exploration and commercial launches, according to the China National Space Administration.

"In 2025, we created a new launch record, sending more than 300 satellites into planned orbits. Both the number of launches and the number of payloads placed in orbit have achieved qualitative leapfrog development," said Zhu Haiyang, an engineer with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

In 2025, the Shenzhou-20 crew spent 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest single mission duration in the history of China's manned space program. Following the Shenzhou-20, the Shenzhou-21 achieved the fastest rendezvous and docking in the history of the Shenzhou mission in just three hours and a half.

Facing an unexpected technical situation with the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, China immediately activated emergency plans. Within 16 days, a series of maneuvers were accomplished including the launch of the Shenzhou-22 backup vehicle, presenting a "textbook model" for the international space community in effectively responding to unexpected emergencies.

In deep space exploration, the Tianwen-2 probe embarked on its journey for China's first asteroid exploration and sample-return mission in 2025.

Last year also saw intensive launch activities from multiple commercial rocket types, injecting strong momentum into the country's commercial space development.

As China has kicked off the first year of its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), a new blueprint for the country's space program is unfolding. Multiple tests are planned in preparation for future lunar exploration, as Chang'e-7 lunar probe is scheduled to be launched for the lunar south pole to search for evidence of water ice. The industry is also preparing for the maiden flights of several new rocket types, which will include the challenges to test rocket recovery and reusability technologies.