The ongoing visit by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to China presents a good opportunity for China and the United Nations to cement their time-honored relationship.

Both sides need to work closer, as China is willing to fulfill what it has committed to in international affairs as a responsible member of the global community.

This is Ban's first visit to China after the country concluded a leadership transition in March. It is important that the UN chief and China's new leaders compare notes on issues of mutual concern both in the realms of China-UN relations and beyond.

In his meeting with Ban on Wednesday, President Xi Jinping said China needs the UN, and the UN needs China, which is a vivid description of the deepening bond between the two sides.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has always been committed to enriching its partnership with the UN and seeking win-win outcomes in its multi-faceted cooperation with the world body.

Over the years, the country has actively participated in UN activities and supported the organization playing a leading role in promoting world peace and development. China's contribution to UN peacekeeping missions has won acclaim from many in the world, Ban included.

During their meeting, Xi and Ban also exchanged views on issues of global significance, such as Syria and the Korean Peninsula. Xi stressed that impartiality should prevail when the UN handles international affairs.

Apparently, whenever the UN is expected to lead the process to find a peaceful solution to such issues, it will always find a faithful supporter in China. With the country's economic clout rising, it is capable of shouldering more international responsibilities now, which is the aspiration of a growing number of the world's people as well.

China's active engagement with the UN should be good news to all. The country has remained a staunch defendant of both the UN Charter and the basic norms governing international relations. It believes these fundamentals should form the basis for countries in the world to interact with each other and respond to regional and global challenges such as sustainable development and climate change.

China's stance conforms to the trends of the times and the spirit of the UN Charter. There is a broad prospect for the two sides to forge an even closer partnership.

(China Daily USA 06/20/2013 page11)