STORY: China on world stage in 2023
SHOOTING TIME: 2023
DATELINE: Dec. 31, 2023
LENGTH: 00:06:46
LOCATION: Beijing/UN Headquarters/GENEVA, Switzerland
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the world 2023
2. STANDUP 1 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): DAI BING, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): GENG SHUANG, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations
5. STANDUP 2 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): ZHANG JUN, China's permanent representative to the United Nations
7. STANDUP 3 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
9. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): ZHANG JUN, China's permanent representative to the United Nations
10. STANDUP 4 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
11. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese/English interpretation): GENG SHUANG, China's deputy permanent representative to UN
12. STANDUP 5 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
13. SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): CHEN XU, Head of Chinese Mission to UN at Geneva
14. STANDUP 6 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
15. SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): ZHANG JUN, China's permanent representative to the United Nations
16. STANDUP 7 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
17. SOUNDBITE 8 (Chinese): GENG SHUANG, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations
18. STANDUP 8 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
19. SOUNDBITE 9 (Chinese): WANG WENBIN, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson
20. SOUNDBITE 10 (Chinese): GENG SHUANG, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations

STORYLINE:

STANDUP 1 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
"Looking back at the year 2023, we can see a world filled with growing challenges. So, what role did China play in this ever-changing and turbulent world? Follow Xinhua for a quick review."

The world was falling apart, and countless lives were lost. While some countries were making matters worse, China was fighting tooth and nail for a chance at peace.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): DAI BING, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations
"The lessons of history tell us that crises, however deep, can ultimately be resolved peacefully. No matter how difficult it is, the door to a political solution cannot be closed. We support Russia and Ukraine in moving towards each other, resuming direct dialogue as soon as possible, bringing their legitimate concerns into the negotiation, setting out feasible options, and putting an early end to the crisis and giving peace a chance."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): GENG SHUANG, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations
"The Ukraine crisis has been dragging on for over a year. The prospects of a protracted and expanding conflict are deeply worrying. Since day one, China has been emphasizing that dialogue and negotiation are the only feasible way to resolve the crisis."

STANDUP 2 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
"The Ukraine crisis keeps dragging on, and now there's another major conflict going on in the Gaza Strip. Since Oct. 7, this new round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict has tragically taken the lives of over 21,000 people, mostly women and children.
However, the United States exercised multiple vetoes on the UN Security Council resolutions concerning the Gaza ceasefire.
Chinese diplomats at the UN have expressed their disappointment and shock over the situation."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): ZHANG JUN, China's permanent representative to the United Nations
"The current situation in Gaza is escalating. More and more civilians are paying the price. The council should fulfill its obligations and play its due role in promoting a ceasefire, protecting civilians, and avoiding a greater humanitarian disaster."

STANDUP 3 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
"Fairness and justice have always been China's pursuit. It stands up for countries that are being treated unfairly."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): ZHANG JUN, China's permanent representative to the United Nations
"In Syria, in the aftermath of the powerful earthquake, we have seen that the unlawful unilateral sanctions have led to a severe shortage of heavy equipment and search and rescue tools in Syria, leaving many local people with no choice but to dig with their bare hands. How many more children under the rubble may have perished as a result of untimely rescue or insufficient rescue capacity?"

After the "Kabul debacle" in 2021, the United States announced that it would freeze some 9.5 billion U.S. dollars in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank.

STANDUP 4 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
"After the U.S. announcement, China called for the immediate return of Afghanistan's overseas assets."

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): GENG SHUANG, China's deputy permanent representative to UN
"The U.S. and other relevant countries should immediately return the assets of the Afghan central bank to the Afghan people, so that Afghan women and children can benefit from these assets, instead of delaying the asset turnover with various excuses."

STANDUP 5 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
"China is also committed to safeguarding world fairness. In September, China and like-minded countries highlighted the importance of economic, social and cultural rights (ESC rights) at a UN session."

SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): CHEN XU, Head of Chinese Mission to UN at Geneva
"One single human right should not be placed over another; nor should we pursue them in an imbalanced and hierarchical manner. All parties should uphold constructive dialogue and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and strive for the promotion of all human rights, including ESC rights, in a balanced way."

STANDUP 6 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
"China has always firmly supported multilateralism, rejecting hegemony and bullying. Chinese envoys have warned against the harm of bloc politics, believing they are creating huge divisions and confrontation in the world."

SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): ZHANG JUN, China's permanent representative to the United Nations
"Acts of hegemony and bullying are causing colossal harm to the world. Bloc politics are creating huge divisions and confrontation. It has become all the more urgent and important to uphold the UN Charter. What is most needed now is for all countries to practice true multilateralism, strengthen unity under the banner of the United Nations, enhance the effectiveness of the global governance system, achieve common security, promote common development, and open up a shared future."

STANDUP 7 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
"China believes the world is big enough for all countries to grow together and achieve progress together."

SOUNDBITE 8 (Chinese): GENG SHUANG, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations
"With the development of human society to where it is today, we should be mature enough to be able to listen to different voices and embrace different ideas and different civilizations. The world is big enough for all countries to grow together and achieve progress together."

STANDUP 8 (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
"China is committed to building a world of openness, inclusiveness, connectivity and common development, and building a human community with a shared future. While the 15th BRICS Summit was held in Johannesburg in August, this was once again highlighted by a Chinese diplomat."

SOUNDBITE 9 (Chinese): WANG WENBIN, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson
"BRICS advocates openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation for common development and prosperity, not bloc confrontation. It is fundamentally different from small circles or exclusive blocs."

China is ready to build a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation.

SOUNDBITE 10 (Chinese): GENG SHUANG, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations
"We believe that humanity is wise and capable enough to overcome various phobias and find a way of getting along with each other through dialogue instead of confrontation, and inclusiveness instead of exclusion. Together, we can build a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation. China is ready to make unremitting efforts with all other countries to this end."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing/UN Headquarters/GENEVA, Switzerland.
(XHTV)