NEW YORK, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang pledged support for the United Nations and an active role in multilateral mechanisms while meeting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The UN has played an irreplaceable role in international affairs in the 70 years since its establishment, Zhang said while meeting Ban on the sidelines of the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament.
China attaches great importance to the UN, and it will work hard to promote peace and the common development of all countries and play a positive role in multilateral mechanisms, said Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC).
Commemorative events to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II will be held in Beijing Thursday to shed light on history, and honor the martyrs in a bid to promote peace and work for a better future, he said.
The spirit embodied by the events is in line with UN norms and principles, Zhang said.
Ban praised China's important roles in regional and international affairs, and spoke highly of the NPC, which has made big achievements in promoting gender equality and ensuring women's rights.
For his part, Ban said he looked forward to attending the commemorative events in Beijing on Thursday.
In a recent interview, Ban said the international community recognizes China's contribution and sacrifice in World War II.
"China's contribution and sacrifice during the Second World War is very much recognized," Ban said, adding that China's sufferings are appreciated and that people around the world sympathize with the country.
The UN chief will join 30 heads of state, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and South Korea's President Park Geun-hye, in attending the upcoming celebrations of the victory in the Anti-Japanese War.
China, which won the war as the major eastern battlefield of WWII, will stage a grand military parade to mark the anniversary.
"It's important to look to the past, what kinds of lessons we have been learning, and how we can move ahead to a brighter future based on the lessons learned," Ban said.
Zhang also met with Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Maria Lohela, Speaker of the House of Representatives in Nigeria Yakubu Dogara, National Assembly Chairman of Vietnam Nguyen Sinh Hung and Israeli Parliament Speaker Yuli Edelstein on Sunday and Monday.
The Chinese top legislator exchanged views with them on efforts to push forward pragmatic cooperation and parliamentary exchanges between China and their countries.
Zhang Dejiang (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, meets with Yuli Edelstein, speaker ofIsrael's Knesset (parliament), who came to attend the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, in New York, the United States, Aug. 31, 2015. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)
Zhang Dejiang (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, meets with Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives, who came to attend the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, in New York, the United States, Aug. 30, 2015. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)
Zhang Dejiang (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, meets with Finland's Speaker of the Parliament Maria Lohela who came to attend the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, in New York, the United States, Aug. 30, 2015. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)
Zhang Dejiang (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, meets with Nguyen Sinh Hung, President of the National Assembly of Vietnam, who came to attend the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, in New York, the United States, Aug. 31, 2015. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)