Chinese Vice President Han Zheng told the U.N. General Assembly that development should lead the global agenda, linking it to peace and higher living standards. He criticized protectionism, called for dialogue on disputes and made no direct mention of Taiwan.
On Iran, Han said the sovereignty and security of Middle Eastern countries, including those in the Gulf, should be respected. He called for opposing unilateral military actions that violate the U.N. Charter or bypass Security Council authorization. Han also said China had worked with three-quarters of nations through Belt and Road projects.
Han delivered the address a day after Xi Jinping met Donald Trump in Washington. Wang Zichen, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing-based Center for China and Globalization, cautioned against interpreting the choice of a vice president rather than a premier as a diplomatic signal by itself; he said China has no convention requiring its president to attend the General Assembly.
