China backs Pakistan bid for non-permanent UNSC seat

BEIJING: Backing Pakistan's bid to contest for a non-permanent berth in the UN Security Council, China today said it wants Islamabad to play a bigger role in maintaining international peace and security.

China attaches great importance to Pakistan's request for a seat on the UN Security Council, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a media briefing here.

Beijing supports Pakistan playing a bigger part in maintaining international peace and security, Jiang said, noting that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic partners.

Pakistan had voiced its desire to have a seat on the UN Security Council at the 66th General Assembly session in New York in September.

Last year, China welcomed India's election as a non-permanent UNSC member, but it is yet to declare its stand on New Delhi's campaign to become a permanent member as part of a larger reform process of the United Nations.

China is the lone P-5 member in the UNSC which has not announced its support for India's bid for a permanent seat, though Chinese officials acknowledge that Beijing wants New Delhi to play a bigger role in the world body.

The UN Security Council has five permanent members (P-5) -- China, France, Russia, the United States and Britain -- and 10 other non-permanent member countries which are elected for a two-year term.