China Supports First Female UN Chief, Says It Would Be “Very Happy”
China signals support for a female UN chief as selection process for top post begins.
China has expressed strong support for the possibility of a woman becoming the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, stating that it would be “very happy” to see a female leader take charge of the global body. The remarks come at a time when the formal selection process for the next UN chief has begun, ahead of the end of the current Secretary-General’s term in December 2026.
The comment was made by China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Fu Cong, who said that in its 80-year history, the United Nations has never had a woman in the top position. He noted that having a female Secretary-General would be a significant milestone for the organisation and a positive step for global representation at the highest diplomatic level.
Currently, two women are among the four declared candidates for the post. They include former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Rebeca Grynspan. The other contenders are International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi and former Senegalese President Macky Sall. All four have recently participated in interactive sessions with UN member states to present their vision for the role.
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Ambassador Fu Cong emphasized that the next UN leader must be strongly committed to multilateralism and to strengthening the role of the United Nations. He also said the Secretary-General should not be closely aligned with any single major power, but instead focus on balancing global interests. According to him, the UN is currently at a critical stage, making leadership selection especially important.
He further stated that China expects the next Secretary-General to uphold the UN’s three core pillars: international peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights. These principles, he said, should guide the organisation’s future direction amid increasing global conflicts and geopolitical tensions.
The selection process is being conducted jointly by the 193-member General Assembly and the 15-member Security Council, where permanent members including China, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France hold veto power. Current UN Secretary-General António Guterres is serving his second term and will step down in 2026. China, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council, has said it will begin consultations soon to decide the selection process framework for the next global chief.
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