China's rising profile in international and regional affairs is a welcome development. As the world's most populous country and a leading economic power, China has a natural place at the heart of global dialogue and cooperation. The UN Country Team is assisting China in its growing engagement with the international community.

A top priority in this context is strengthening China's multilateralism, not just through the ratification of international norms and UN conventions, but also through China's increased negotiations. The UN is also working to enhance cooperation between China and neighbouring countries on common cross-border issues. Among these cross border issues are the concerns of health and communicable diseases, trade, development, and procurement of essential drugs as well as the trafficking of illicit drugs. With UN encouragement and support, China is also working with neighbouring countries on preventing cross-border trafficking and repatriation and rehabilitation of trafficking victims.

As more Chinese businesses expand and globalize their operations, public-private partnerships and the Global Compact (a voluntary international corporate citizenship network established by the UN) are becoming increasingly important in the UN's development work. Public-private partnerships will play a significant role in cross-border initiatives.

Likewise, South-South cooperation, long a cornerstone of China's foreign policy, is raising its profile as one of the pillars of China's international economic and trade policies. Increasingly, this is taking the form of economic and trade links. China is a trading partner and major investor in many of the poorest developing countries. The UN system continues to help China in tapping the potential of trading relationships with Africa, Northeast and Central Asia as well as Southeast Asia.

China's donations to countries hit by the devastating 2004 Asian tsunami heralded a new role for China in development assistance and emergency relief, taking it from net aid recipient towards becoming a donor country. The UN is providing support to China during this transition and is helping to lay the groundwork for the establishment of a new Chinese international aid agency.

The UN's work in China in this area is coordinated by its Task Force on China's engagement in the international arena.