China said on Wednesday it would defend the international system with the United Nations at its core, a day after announcing it had received an invitation to join a "Peace Council" proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Beijing confirmed on Tuesday it had received a U.S. invitation to join the council, which aims to help resolve conflicts, according to a charter seen by AFP. China has not yet confirmed whether it will accept the invitation, but Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiankang said at a press conference on Wednesday that Beijing would support an international system with the UN at its core, regardless of "changes." Guo said: "No matter how the international situation changes, China firmly upholds the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter." China, the world's second-largest economy and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has traditionally defended the UN system, calling for its reform.
