China has moved ahead of the United States to send its payment to the United Nations (UN). Beijing announced, Tuesday, April 13, in a press release that it had paid its contribution for 2021 in full, both to the operating budget and to peace operations, implicitly urging the United States, a large debtor, to do the same. “To support multilateralism through concrete actions”.
“On April 13, China paid all of its contributions to the operating budget (…) for the year 2021. Beforehand [le 28 février], it had settled its arrears for seven peace operations ”, said a statement from the Chinese mission to the UN. It was not possible to know how much exactly Beijing had paid to the UN.
In quality of “The second largest contributor to the operating budget of the United Nations and to that of peacekeeping, China has always actively supported the work of the United Nations, firmly safeguarded the international system and supported multilateralism through concrete actions”, adds the press release.
The UN in the face of a liquidity crisis
The United States, which under the Joe Biden administration promised to re-engage in multilateralism, is the largest financial contributor to the UN and has arrears of around $ 1.3 billion ($ 1 billion euros), including 700 million (585.5 million) for the current year, and the rest over previous years, according to the Organization.
The UN’s annual operating budget is approximately $ 3.2 billion (€ 2.68 billion). That of peace operations, separated, reached some 6.5 billion dollars (5.44 billion euros). The United States contributes 22% to the operating budget, and in principle nearly 28% to the budget of peace operations. In 2017, former President Donald Trump decided to reduce this last percentage to 25%, increasing American debts to the UN.
Beijing became the second largest financial contributor in 2016 to UN peace operations and in 2019 to the operating budget, ahead of Japan. “China has fulfilled its financial obligations in full, on time and unconditionally in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, demonstrating the role it plays as a great responsible country.”, underlines the statement of the Chinese mission, like an implicit incentive with the other great nations, and especially the United States, to do the same.
The text recalls that the UN is facing a liquidity crisis, accentuated by the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which “Seriously affects its work and the implementation of its mandates”.
“Member States must fulfill their legal obligations, actively respond to the appeal of the Secretary General and pay all contributions as soon as possible to improve the liquidity situation of the United Nations”, insists the Chinese press release.
