Veteran Chinese diplomat Xu Shuyun has worked with the United Nations for decades, and his conversations with the organization's chiefs may best testify to the evolving relationship between one of the globe's most influential international groupings and its most-populous country.

"Former UN Secretary-General Mr (Kofi) Annan once said to me that 'China is the only country which feeds back to the UN system'," Xu, a member of the executive board of the United Nations Association of China, recalled during a speech that was broadcast at a Vision China event hosted by China Daily on Wednesday.

Annan made the comment in reference to the fact that China, upon the restoration of its lawful seat at the UN after dozens of years, had become a "net contributor" to all UN agencies and organizations, according to Xu. (Read more)