U.S. may lose voting rights at UN General Assembly at certain point: UN spokesperson

The United States may lose its voting rights at the UN General Assembly at some point if it does not pay its dues to the United Nations for a certain number of years, a UN spokesperson said Thursday.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary‑general, stressed that the provision is a Charter rule, not a decision of the secretary‑general.

"Well, the (UN) Charter is clear about what happens when a country doesn't pay its dues for a certain number of years. It's Article 19. So, it's not a decision of the Secretary-General. It's in the Charter, and it implies that at some point a country may lose its vote in the General Assembly," he said.

The spokesperson confirmed that the United States did not pay its dues to the United Nations in 2025.

The Article 19 of the UN Charter stipulates that a Member of the United Nations which is in arrears in the payment of its financial contributions to the Organization shall have no vote in the General Assembly if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two full years. The General Assembly may, nevertheless, permit such a Member to vote if it is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the Member.

China Media Group (CMG), the country's flagship broadcaster, unveiled its 2026 flagship drama lineup in Beijing on Friday.

CMG will broadcast 55 major TV series and three short dramas ranging from historical epics to contemporary storylines that reflect everyday life, social change, and the spirit of the times.

The new lineup will align natural narrative and creative innovation with the country's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), continuously amplify the voice of mainstream values, and continue promoting the deep integration of film and television with cultural tourism, according to CMG.