Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Coordinator in China: Trust deficits and multilateralism deficits prevail in the world

UN Resident Coordinator Siddharth Chatterjee has an interview to the media

"When I was a child, I lived in Kolkata, India, and lived very close to Chinatown." On the afternoon of April 18, Siddharth Chatterjee, the UN Coordinator in China, recalled his love with China when he was interviewed by the media at the Boao Forum for Asia Press Center. At that time, 9-year-old Siddharth Chatterjee passed by a Chinese shoe store and found a pair of beautiful brown boots. After being rejected by his father because of the high price, he received a kind gift from the shoe store owner.

Amazingly, at that time, you needed to order the size to buy shoes, but the pair of shoes unexpectedly fit with Siddharth Chatterjee's feet.

Later, the parents thanked the shoe store manager and expressed their doubts. The store owner said that because he had a son of the same age who died in the disaster. "This is compassion and empathy from complete strangers." Siddharth Chatterjee said, regardless of the media, UN agencies, leaders of various countries, parents, or citizens, everyone in society has empathy. "The younger generation in China will be the bearers of care. This is the best way to overcome the epidemic." He said that this is also the fundamental starting point of all UN missions-to ensure the development of mankind through a common humanity.

The epidemic is a special time to attach importance to our own development

"The COVID-19 is like a flash of lightning, hitting our world," Chang Qide told the media at the 2021 annual meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia(BFA). Under the influence of the epidemic, science, technology and politics have all been affected to varying degrees. Challenges, the world has to pause. "From a philosophical point of view, it is equivalent to an invisible hand controlling our future destiny."

In the morning of the same day, the Press Conference for Annual Conference 2021 and Releases Flagship Reports also mentioned that sustainable development is facing health deficits, infrastructure deficits, green deficits, and digital deficits. The “Big Four” deficits will solve these development deficits. It is the top priority in promoting sustainable development. "I would like to emphasize the other two deficits worldwide," said Siddharth Chatterjee. In addition, trust deficits and multilateralism deficits are also common, requiring the joint efforts of the media, the private sector and various UN agencies.

However, Siddharth Chatterjee pointed out that the financial and economic crisis we are facing today is similar to the economic recession in the 1930s, when mankind emerged from the recession and appeared in a stronger face. "The epidemic is a good opportunity for us to attach importance to our own development," he said. We should re-examine and evaluate our past. The economy restored during the epidemic should be green, healthy and environmentally friendly. It is more important to stand up again after responding to the epidemic. A tough, more dynamic society. "We need to make people from all over the world trust each other more and be able to embrace multilateralism more. If we can overcome the epidemic, our human society will be more resilient, more compassionate and empathetic."

BFA is the culmination of multilateralism

"The COVID-19 has emphasized the importance of multilateralism," Siddharth Chatterjee said, because if any country, community, village or town is left behind, the epidemic will not be completely over, which is in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Unanimous.

He pointed out that the BFA is the crystallization of unity and multilateralism. Just as Asian countries uphold the common goal of promoting prosperity and growth, when other major economies in the world are facing major challenges, Asian countries can unite and fight together. The epidemic is an important manifestation of multilateralism.

The 2021 Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference is the first online and offline international conference to be held after the epidemic. In this regard, Siddharth Chatterjee said, first of all, congratulations on China’s outstanding achievements in public health response. “All of us here today can participate in such a large-scale meeting, and some of us can sit in the same meeting without wearing a mask. In the room, it means knowing that you are safe and proving that the epidemic is preventable and controllable. This all depends on China’s prevention and control measures.” He said, if other countries in the world can deliver the same satisfaction as China If you answer the paper, the world can end the epidemic as soon as possible.

The successful holding of the annual meeting is the touchstone of a successful response to China's public health. "I hope other countries can pay attention to China's progress in this regard, which means that China has made great contributions not only in the prevention and control of the epidemic, but also in the termination of the epidemic," he said, which also emphasizes the strong public health. The importance of the system. "So this BFA is very timely. The 20th anniversary of the forum is a milestone and it is of extraordinary significance to the future."