Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhang Qiyue referred to the visit of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan as "fruitful" at a regular press conference Thursday.

Zhang noted the UN chief lauded China's active role in maintaining world peace and fulfilling the UN's peace-keeping mission. She said Chinese leaders have told Annan that the country attached great importance to the role of the U.N. in helping solve international disputes.

In the present complex world, the U.N. should be turned into the most representative and authoritative international organization, she acknowledged, and it should give scope to its leading role, so as to help advance the development of international affairs toward the direction of multilateralism and multipolarism.

UN Secretary General Annan arrived China on Oct. 9 and wound up his visit on Wednesday.