10 | Thursday, October 15, 2020 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY WORLD Key Chinese figures join UK prince on green project

Little change By BO LEUNG in London [email protected]

Alibaba founder Ma Yun, com­ monly known as Jack Ma, and Chi­ nese basketball star Yao Ming will seen in NZ’s be joining Britain’s Prince William as members of the prestigious Earthshot Prize Council with the goal of protecting and restoring the environment. Last week, the Duke of Cambridge China ties announced that 50 million pounds ($64 million) will be awarded over With poll days away, importance of the next 10 years in the “most prestig­ ious global environmental prize in trade is shared view among parties history” with the hope it will incentiv­ ize change and help repair the planet. By KARL WILSON in Sydney She said both major parties A global team of high­profile lead­ [email protected] know that China is a very impor­ ers from the environmental, philan­ tant trade partner to New Zealand thropic, business, sporting and New Zealand’s election will and value the relationship highly. entertainment worlds have joined hardly change the main course of “Both major parties (Labour Prince William as members of the the country’s relationship with and National) would also reserve Earthshot Prize Council. China despite some challenging the right to have a New Zealand The council includes Ma, a phi­ moments during the year, analysts perspective on world issues, so lanthropist, entrepreneur and said ahead of the poll on Saturday. there may be times where they UNSDG Advocate, and Yao, a Nais­ Stephen Jacobi, a longtime Chi­ would respectfully agree to disa­ mith Basketball Hall of Famer and na analyst and executive director gree, as would be the case with any environmentalist. Britain’s Prince William (right) and naturalist David Attenborough discuss the Earthshot Prize at of the New Zealand International country.” “We have to have the confidence Kensington Palace in London, in this undated photo provided by Kensington Palace on Oct 7. Business Forum, said that no mat­ Beard said she does not think to make this change,” Yao said. KENSINGTON PALACE VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS ter who wins, he does not expect to any of the areas of agreement or “Regardless of the impact our see a major shift in New Zealand­ disagreement would be a surprise actions have had upon the natural China relations. to China and that New Zealand’s world, I believe that with enough today, and overcome our challenges.” the spark that is really going to give air, revive our oceans, build a waste­ Opinion polls put Prime Minis­ policy on international relations desire and optimism, we can reverse The Earthshot Prize council also it the lift and the impetus to develop free world, and fix our climate. ter Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party is reasonably transparent and this and repair our planet.” includes British broadcaster and into something huge.” Prizes could be awarded to a wide well ahead of the National Party predictable. Ma, a supporter of the United natural historian David Attenbor­ “It’s a great source of hope, and I range of individuals and collabora­ led by Judith Collins. Nations Sustainable Development ough, Australian actor Cate Blanch­ hope it spreads around the world.” tors. They include scientists, activists, Foreign policy has hardly fig­ Recovering from COVID-19 Goals, said: “We only have one Earth ett and Naoko Yamazaki, a Japanese The Earthshot Prize, which is economists, community projects, ured at all in the election, Jacobi “I think it is probably true to say in this world and the pandemic has former astronaut who spent time on inspired from the late United States leaders, governments, banks, busi­ said. “Both Labour and National that either political party would made it clear that mankind cannot the International Space Station. president John F. Kennedy’s Moon­ nesses, cities and countries. can be expected to continue to take the view that a small country live without the Earth, but that shot program, is centered around Each winner will receive a 1 mil­ manage the relationship with care needs to try to be friends to every­ Earth can live without mankind. ‘Great source of hope’ five Earthshots which are simple lion pound reward that will be used and diplomacy, especially given one where that is possible and to Today we all live in the same forest Attenborough said: “I really do but ambitious goals for the planet. to support environmental and con­ the importance of trade in the eco­ promote and support a fair rules­ that is already on fire. If we work think things are about to start to The five Earthshot categories are servation projects as well as boost nomic recovery post­COVID.” based system such as the WTO together, we can all do a little bit move, and this sort of idea could be protect and restore nature, clean our public recognition of their cause. He added that geopolitical ten­ (World Trade Organization), so sions are likely to overshadow the that any country can get justice if relationship and both countries they need it, no matter what their will need to commit themselves to size,” she said. talking directly about things that “I also think as the world tries to Cooperation stressed after UN rights council vote matter to both. recover from the economic and The executive director of the health impacts of COVID­19 that By LIU YINMENG in Los Angeles to continue to engage in various elected to the Human Rights New Zealand­China Council, good trade and political relation­ and ZHOU JIN in Beijing works under the UN human rights Council on Tuesday: Bolivia, Cote Rachel Maidment, agrees. ships will be more important than mechanisms, while advocating d’Ivoire, Cuba, France, Gabon, “While we have different per­ ever.” China’s Permanent Mission to the (China pledges) to take dialogue and cooperation, Zhao Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, spectives on some issues, these As of Tuesday, New Zealand United Nations on Tuesday this opportunity to said. Russia, Senegal, Ukraine, the Unit­ continue to be managed well,” she had 1,516 confirmed COVID­19 expressed “heartfelt gratitude to China is willing to handle human ed Kingdom and Uzbekistan. said. cases and 25 deaths, according to member states for their support” continue to firmly rights issues in a fair, objective and The newly elected states are Given countries’ particular his­ a tally kept by the World Health after the country secured a seat for a uphold multilateralism nonselective manner, he added. replacing outgoing members tories, political and legal systems, Organization. three­year term on the Human The 47­member entity, founded in Afghanistan, Angola, Australia, and world views, she said it is natu­ While the National Party is strug­ Rights Council in an election during and the purposes and 2006, is a subsidiary of the UN Gen­ Chile, the Democratic Republic of ral for countries to take different gling, it is trying to win over voters the 75th UN General Assembly. principles of the UN eral Assembly tasked with the pro­ the Congo, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, perspectives on some issues. with tax cuts and attacking Ardern “China always attaches great Charter.” motion and protection of human Pakistan, Peru, Qatar, Senegal, Slo­ Yet she doubted there will be any for not delivering on her pledges. importance to the promotion and rights around the world. vakia, Spain and Ukraine. change in New Zealand policy With just days before voters go to protection of human rights. Follow­ China’s Permanent Mission to According to Resolution 60/251, According to General Assembly toward China after the election. the polls, none of this has had any ing a path with Chinese characteris­ the United Nations which created the council, members President Volkan Bozkir, continuing “New Zealand has maintained impact on Ardern’s popularity. tics, China has made great are elected directly and individually as members of the Geneva­based an independent foreign policy for Ardern, 40, came to power just achievements in human rights issues and wrong practices of dou­ by the majority of the General council are Argentina, Armenia, over 30 years. Both major parties three years ago, having inherited development,” said a statement ble standards to make greater con­ Assembly by secret ballot. Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangla­ have a long­standing bipartisan the Labour leadership just two released by the delegation, which tributions to the healthy Council seats are allocated to five desh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, approach to the bilateral relation­ months before the 2017 election. also extended warm congratula­ development of international regional groups on the basis of equi­ Cameroon, the Czech Republic, ship and this is unlikely to change Grant Robertson, the Labour tions to other elected members. human rights.” table geographical distribution. Denmark, Eritrea, Fiji, Germany, after the election,” Maidment said. Party’s finance spokesperson, China, whose term will begin on China’s Foreign Ministry spokes­ African and Asia­Pacific states each India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Libya, Catherine Beard, executive said in a tweet on Wednesday Jan 1, 2021, pledges “to take this man Zhao Lijian said on Wednes­ have 13 seats; Eastern European Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Nam­ director for ExportNZ, said: “I that the National Party had had opportunity to continue to firmly day that it is the fifth time that states have six seats; Latin Ameri­ ibia, the Netherlands, the Philippi­ don’t think it would matter too three leaders in four months uphold multilateralism and the pur­ China has been elected as a mem­ can and Caribbean states, eight nes, Poland, the Republic of Korea, much who wins as to how the Chi­ while New Zealand at this poses and principles of the UN ber of the council. This fully reflect­ seats; and Western European and Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Uruguay and na­NZ relationship will be in the moment needs a strong, decisive Charter”, the delegation said. ed the international community’s other states, seven seats. Venezuela. future because, despite any politi­ and stable government. “China will participate in depth recognition of the development of Elected member states serve China previously was elected to cal posturing, there is not a lot of A Bloomberg report even said in the work of the Human Rights China’s human rights cause, as well three years on the council for a max­ the Human Rights Council in 2006, differences between the National that there is a chance Labour could Council, actively promote interna­ as China’s participation in global imum of two terms. They are not eli­ 2009, 2013 and 2016. or Labour party when it comes to win an outright majority, which no tional exchange and cooperation governance of human rights, he gible for immediate reelection after trade policy and international party in New Zealand has done on human rights, and oppose the said. two consecutive terms. Contact the writers at relationships.” since the 1990s. politicization of human rights China will use this opportunity Fourteen other members were [email protected].