According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the 4th in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the next UN Secretary-General candidate, former Chilean President Bachelet, stating that China will participate responsibly and constructively in the election for the next UN Secretary-General and will promote the revitalization of the UN's authority and vitality.
When meeting with Wang Yi, Bachelet stated that today's world is rife with turmoil and needs more, not less, multilateralism; Bachelet also highly praised China's long-standing commitment to promoting multilateralism and the cause of the United Nations, and expressed her willingness to work with China and the international community to jointly strengthen the UN's status and role.
Wang Yi said that the choice of the next UN Secretary-General will concern the direction of the United Nations' reform and development in the next 5 to 10 years, and will affect the vital interests of UN Member States, especially those of the Global South. China will participate responsibly and constructively in the election of the next Secretary-General, promoting the revitalization of the UN's authority and vitality, making it better adapt to new situations and better respond to new challenges.
The current term of UN Secretary-General Guterres will expire at the end of this year.
All Previous Secretaries-General Have Been Men
Currently, there are a total of 5 officially registered candidates for the next UN Secretary-General, including 3 women and 2 men.
Since the founding of the United Nations in 1945, all 9 previous Secretaries-General have been men.
The 5 candidates are: former Chilean President Bachelet (female), Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Greenspan (female), former President of the UN General Assembly Espinosa (female), Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Grossi (male), and former Senegalese President Sall (male).