1st Ld-Writethru: Reform of int'l order needed, but not about overturning current one: minister

The current international order and system needs to be updated, but it is not about overturning the current one or starting all over again, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday.

The minister made the remarks at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress.

China supports the reform of the international order and system, but such reform is not about overturning the current system or starting all over again, rather it is about seeking new ideas to improve it, he said.

The year 2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.

Seventy years have passed with international landscape and situation having changed dramatically, so naturally the international order needs to be updated, Wang said.

The general direction is to promote democracy in international relations and the rule of law in global governance, said the minister.

"In particular, it is very important to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries which are in the majority, so that we can make the world a more equal, harmonious and safe place," he added.

The minister compared the international order and system built around the United Nations to a big boat.

Seventy years ago, China was intimately involved in designing and building the boat, and China was the first country to put the signature on the Charter of the United Nations, Wang said.

"Today we are in this boat, together with more than 190 other countries. So of course we don't want to upset the boat, rather we want to work with other passengers to make sure this boat will sail forward steadily and in the right direction," the minister added. Endi