Former UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon said he anticipates to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics as Chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Ethics Commission in a recent interview with Chinese media. He is convinced the Chinese government and people will overcome difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully host the Winter Games, Ban said.

Ban said he was pleased that the 2008 Beijing Olympics was so successful and he believes the Beijing Winter Olympics will be "a great success to promote peace and harmony of the world."

This year marks the 50th anniversary of China's restoration of its legal seat in the UN. As former secretary general of the UN, Ban said "China's restoration of the lawful seat was a landmark event in the history of the UN." Since then, the UN has become a universal organization in terms of size and contents with the restoration of the seat by China.

Ban spoke highly of China's contribution to the UN over the past 50 years. As one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, China has worked hard to make the Council more effective. China also has been playing a crucial role in implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Ban noted.

Ban said China played a decisive role in the negotiation process of the Paris Agreement in 2015. And China's commitment to carbon neutrality by 2060 has sent an encouraging signal to other countries.

Ban was a bit disappointed by the results of the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, UK, as there was a weak decision by member states regarding how to deal with the climate change and they were not able to agree on how to provide financial support to developing countries, he told Chinese media.

To deal with global challenges such as climate change, Ban emphasized all sides must transcend political divisions to establish strong partnerships. He believed China has made many important promises, and he is confident China can realize carbon neutrality by 2060. He called for more multilateral cooperation between China and other countries. He particularly emphasized that the realization of the 2015 Paris Agreement is inseparable from China-US cooperation.

The world is facing serious challenges such as climate change and COVID-19 pandemic. However, the most serious challenge in the world affairs is the weakening of multilateralism. "We have witnessed a rising trend of 'my country-first mentality' in recent years," Ban said.

Multilateral cooperation is not something which any one country can make alone. It requires collective will and wisdom of all. It also requires a sense of common goals which the UN stands for, Ban said.

Ban accepted the interview before the 2021 Congdu International Forum, which is being held in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province from December 5 to 6. Over 160 representatives of political, academic and business sectors from more than 30 countries and regions participate in the forum, including Ban and other former heads of state and leaders of organizations.