ISTANBUL

China on Wednesday lauded the role of the UN after US President Donald Trump blasted the world body at the General Assembly.

“The UN has played an irreplaceable role in safeguarding international peace and security and promoting global development,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing.

Addressing the 80th session of the General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Trump sharply rebuked the United Nations, telling world leaders that the international body is failing to live up to its potential and is facilitating undocumented migration as it pursues a "globalist" agenda.

“It is China’s belief, the more complicated the international situation, the more we should advocate for the authority of the UN,” said Guo.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the spokesman said: “China firmly supports playing its core role in international affairs.”

The spokesman also pushed back on Trump’s accusation that Beijing and India were funding the Ukraine war.

“An overwhelming majority of nations, including the US and European countries, are engaging in trade with Russia,” Guo said. “China’s position on Ukraine is objective and just to promote peace talks.”

Exchanges with Russian companies by Chinese ones “are in line with World Trade Organization rules and in line with market principles,” he said, stressing that Beijing will take measures to safeguard “legitimate interests” of Chinese companies.

During his address to the General Assembly, Trump criticized major economies for continuing energy trade with Russia. "China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil," he said.

He also faulted NATO countries, saying: "Even NATO countries haven’t cut off much Russian energy and Russian energy products ... They're funding the war against themselves."

Reacting to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s claims that China could compel Moscow to end the conflict if it “truly wanted” it to stop, Guo said: “China has always been fair. China has, since day one, held an objective position and promoted talks for peace.”

“All parties can see that clearly,” the spokesman said.

However, Zelenskyy told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that China “stays silent and distant instead of acting for peace.”