On April 9, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held talks with visiting President of the 55th General Assembly Harri Holkeri.

Tang praised Holkeri for his efforts in his capacity as the President of the UN General Assembly, in presiding over the UN millennium summit last year, strengthening the UN's role and materializing the follow-up actions of the summit. Tang said that China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, always attaches great importance to the role of the United Nations (UN) and the president of the UN General Assembly, whom it will continue to support.

Tang also voiced appreciation for Holkeri's adherence to the one China principle and his position against Taiwan "returning to" the UN. He expressed particular appreciation for Holkeri's cooperation with the Chinese side at the general committee's meeting of the 55th General Assembly last September on foiling a proposal to seek Taiwan's representation in the UN.

Holkeri spoke highly of China's active participation in UN work and the important role it has played in international affairs. He expressed the belief that the cooperative relationship between the UN and China will see further development in the new century.

The two sides also exchanged views on the work of the General Assembly, the reform of the UN Security Council and UN peacekeeping missions.