'Taken note of relevant reports: China on India's bid for non-permanent UNSC seat

Beijing, Jul 16 (PTI) China on Thursday said it has "taken note of relevant reports" about India's bid for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for the 2028-29 period. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar launched India's official campaign for the non-permanent seat at the UNSC on Monday at an event at the UN headquarters, attended by ambassadors, diplomats and officials. In his address, Jaishankar said that India's approach to the UN is rooted in 'SHANTI: Securing Holistic Advancement through Norms, Trust and Integrity', as he outlined in detail New Delhi's priorities for the UNSC term. "China has taken note of relevant reports," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a media briefing here when asked about China's view on India’s announcement to contest for a non-permanent seat at the UNSC. China, one of the five veto-wielding permanent members of the UNSC, has yet to back India's bid. In comparison, the other four P5 members - the US, UK, Russia and France - have explicitly supported India's permanent membership in the reformed UN Security Council. Elections for the 2028-29 term will be conducted in June next year, when India and Tajikistan will compete for the sole seat in the Asia-Pacific Group category. India last sat at the UNSC horseshoe high table in 2021-22, its eighth time in the powerful 15-nation UN body after tenures in 1950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 1991-1992 and 2011-2012. PTI KJV ZH ZH