China calls for upholding multilateralism, criticizes US tariffs at UN meeting

A Chinese representative speaking at a UN meeting on Tuesday called for upholding multilateralism and criticized the U.S. tariffs for plunging global development into greater uncertainty.

Sun Lei, deputy permanent representative of China to the UN, made the remarks at a high-level special meeting of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum on Financing for Development, held at the UN headquarters in New York.

Underscoring that today's world is fraught with changes and turmoil as unilateralism, protectionism, and economic bullying run rampant, the representative said developing countries face funding shortages for development and the efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals were severely behind schedule.

Sun stressed that in the face of global challenges, no country can remain unaffected. He called on the international community to uphold the principle of solidarity and win-win cooperation to jointly battle challenges and promote common development.

"Withdrawing from treaties and organizations is not a solution and multilateral cooperation is the right choice. We should resolutely uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, safeguard the UN-centered international system, defend the international order based on international law, resolve disputes through dialogue, and achieve win-win outcomes through cooperation," said Sun.

Making an appeal to resolutely maintain the multilateral trading system, Sun denounced the U.S. government's sweeping tariffs.

"By arbitrarily imposing tariffs on over 180 countries, the U.S. infringes upon the legitimate rights of other countries, violates the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), undermines the rules-based multilateral trading system, and jeopardizes global economic stability. The international community should stand united in resolutely opposing unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying, jointly safeguarding the WTO-centered multilateral trading system and rules, and promoting beneficial and inclusive economic globalization," he said.

China calls for upholding multilateralism, criticizes US tariffs at UN meeting

An adorable giant panda cub has been seen enjoying a bowl of milk and later cosily lying on a wooden platform after getting a little muddy during messy playtime in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The playful panda, with its hair all wet and frizzy and covered in mud after presumably rolling around in its enclosure, is seen happily slurping on a bowl of milk provided by a panda keeper.

Later, the mischievous cub appears to be a little tired out from its exuberant activities, and is seen curled up having a rest on its wooden climbing frame.

Shared by the iPanda channel, this charming look into the life of panda cubs at the Wolong Shenshuping Base of China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas (CCRCGP) was filmed on February 28.

The adorable cub is one of a pigeon pair of cubs -- born in August 2025 at the CCRCGP -- to the giant panda Jia Mei.

The CCRCGP is a world-leading institution dedicated to the breeding and conservation of the giant panda. The center has established the world's largest captive population of giant pandas and pioneered research on captive breeding and training for rewilding.

The center also holds the largest global platform for promoting international cooperation and exchanges on Panda conservation, involving 18 zoos from 16 countries and regions, 39 domestic animal breeding institutions, and over 10 scientific research institutes.

Panda cub enjoys bowl of milk, afternoon snooze at conservation base