Spokesman on China's defense spending

China's limited national defense spending is to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.

Lin made the remarks in response to a media query about China's national defense spending.

"In recent years, global military spending has continued to rise. Statistics show that global military spending stood at 2.43 trillion U.S. dollars in 2024, a new record high in history. Behind the continuous growth of global military spending is the ever more intensified international and regional security situation, highlighting a growing deficit in security at present. All parties are facing the common challenge of global security governance. The international community, major countries in particular, should set an example and take the lead in serving as the propeller of global unity and the ballast stone of international peace," he said.

"China has unswervingly adhered to the path of peaceful development. Its limited national defense spending is completely out of the need to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and to maintain world peace. China has always pursued a strategy of self-defense and coordinated development of economy and national defense, and is not to engage in any arms race with any country. It has always safeguarded world peace in concrete action and continuously injected stability and certainty into the world," Lin said.

Spokesman on China's defense spending

The multilateral system is "under attack" amid global turmoil, President of the 80th UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock warned in her remarks on Wednesday.

In her briefing on the priorities for the resumed 80th Session of the General Assembly, the UNGA president noted that the current multilateral system does not collapse all in a sudden, but "crumbles piece by piece" in divisions, compromises, and lack of political commitment.

The president called all the UN member states to defend the UN Charter and international law and promote cross-regional cooperation.

She also urged to push forward the work of the UNGA on certain critical issues with a strong majority, rather than an absolute consensus among all member states. Such act is not a failure of multilateralism, but "an affirmation of it," she said.

The foundational principles of the institution should not be eroded by appeasement, she said, calling the member states to show courage, leadership, and responsibility at the UN's "critical make-or-break moment."

"The UN needs you. Your support, your leadership, your principle, stand, your cross-regional cooperation, if we are to preserve and modernize this institution, if we are to make it, rather than break it," she said.

UNGA President warns global multilateral system "under attack"