Ancient Chinese wisdom could help the United Nations to combat contemporary challenges, its Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday.
"I have been quite influenced by Confucius' teachings and wisdom, and have tried to introduce such Asian culture into the United Nations," Ban said during a speech at Beijing's China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU).
"Of course I don't expect all UN staff to learn from me. If they find my working style and leadership acceptable and agreeable, they can follow. If not, they don't have to," he said.
On Thursday, ahead of his two-week, three-nation visit to East Asia, Ban told the Xinhua News Agency that Confucian wisdom has helped him in both his public and private lives.
Reporters from 47 media organizations attended yesterday's event, as it marked the start of the Ban's first official visit to China since taking office on Jan 1, last year.
Ban has made two unofficial visits to China since his designation as UN head in 2006, including one on May 24, less than two weeks after the Sichuan earthquake.
The veteran diplomat received a hearty welcome from an audience of about 500 students, mostly from CFAU, which is regarded as the cradle of Chinese diplomats.
During his speech, Ban praised China's handling of the quake relief effort and promised the UN's full assistance in building a "bigger and better" home for those affected by the disaster.
He also urged China to take a bigger role in fighting three global challenges: rising food and fuel prices, climate change and the quest to reach the Millennium Development Goals by the deadline of 2015.
Wang Yu, a CFAU student majoring in diplomacy, said she was touched by Ban's warmth toward China.
"I saw him visiting Sichuan on TV. Today, I was moved again by his sincere attitude, which has made Chinese people feel the warmth of the international community. I think that's partly due to our closeness in blood and culture," she said.
Ban is scheduled to meet President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi today, after visiting AIDS patients and touring Olympic venues.
On Thursday, he will leave for Seoul, and his visit will culminate in his participation in the G8 summit in Hokkaido, Japan over the weekend.
Source: China Daily
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