A large-scale, high-level symposium themed "Fair globalization: to realize UN's Millennium Declaration" was held on the morning of September 20 in the hall of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The discussion is co-chaired by International Labor Organization (ILO) Director-General Juan Somavia, Finland President Tarja Halonen and Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa. UN Secretary- General Kofi Anan delivered a speech at the meeting. And present at the meeting are UN General Assembly Chairman Jean Ping and leaders of more than 40 countries, including French President Jack Chirac and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as well as representative of some international organizations. Holding such a high-ranking symposium prior to the beginning of general debate of the General Assembly reflects the high attention paid to the globalization issue by the United Nations and the international community.

Why the globalization issue draws such a high attention is because it is a trend in human economic and social development, an inevitable one. However, during the course of globalization, polarization began to take place in benefiting from globalization among different countries and even within a country. This kind of imbalance is morally unacceptable and politically short-lived. It triggered off queries, wide and fierce debates among different peoples. The large-scale anti-globalization protests taking place outside when the WTO negotiation was carried on in Seattle a few years ago are still fresh in memory. How should we look at the globalization, after all? What's the cause behind the imbalance? What kind of globalization we need? And how to set up a fair globalization? All these are questions demanding immediate answers. Hence, ILO set up in November 2001 a world committee on the question of social impact of globalization, which is composed by authorities from world countries and co-chaired by President Halonen and President Mkapa. After holding a series of global discussions over the past two years to sort for opinions on globalization from officials, businessmen, worker's unions and non-governmental organizations, the committee published at the beginning of the year a report "A fair globalization: create opportunities for all people". The report gave an in-depth analysis and discussion on the globalization issue and put forward many suggestions on establishing a fair globalization.

Judging from the report and the remarks at the latest discussion, people are quite clear about the cause of the imbalance incurred in the course of globalization. It is "not stemmed from globalization itself, but due to lack of management on globalization". Globalization advanced rapidly, while the economic and social systems that would help it run smoothly and fairly failed to get simultaneous development. Serious unfairness exists in important global rules in trade and finance, since they were formulated by developed countries and so were designed to maintain their own interests. The current international political and economic systems are in serious short of democracy, and developing countries haven't got a fair say in globalization course.

Therefore, only by exercising management over globalization can the process be made fairer and more rational to benefit more people. This is a point mentioned in the aforesaid report of the committee.

To exercise management over the globalization, as Kofi Anan said, we must set up a more efficient multilateral mechanism and map out a more lawful and more harmonious framework. As the committee put forward, what we are striving for is a globalization course based on a widely accepted conception of value and respect for human rights and individual dignity. It is the one that contains rich social content; a fair, compatible and democratic management and a globalization course that brings actual benefits to all countries and peoples.

It requires joint efforts from both developed and developing countries to achieve the goal. For developing countries, they should do a good job at home, which includes the strengthening of the law, establishing democratic political system, respecting human rights, strengthening education, public health and infrastructure construction and promoting social equality, creating more jobs, protecting basic rights of workers, enhancing social security and enlarging social dialogues. And for developed countries, when formulating rules and policies related to global trade and finance, they must give bigger right to speak and room for self decision-making to developing countries; must refrain from attaching conditions on aid provided to developing countries; must slash unfair barriers of market access for advantageous goods of developing countries such as textile and farm produce. These are not difficult jobs to be carried out so long as there is political will.

Management on globalization also involved some general requirements on countries of the world. The committee's report put forward concrete suggestions: 1.foster the people-oriented concept; 2 build up democratic and high-efficient countries; 3.establish a concept for sustainable development; 4 bring about efficient and fair markets; 5 formulate fair rules; 6 build up globalization with a sprit of unity; 7 to be more responsible to people; 8 establish closer partnerships; 9 build high-efficient United Nations. These suggestions are beyond doubt beneficial for setting up a good globalization management.

The UN's multilateral system is doubtlessly at the kernel of globalization management, so participants pinned high hope on the UN, while the latter is going all out in this regard. The latest meeting is not only for a further discussion on the report and the globalization issue, but also an effort to turn confrontation to dialogue in global debates. People hope the efforts may bear fruit so as to realize a fairer globalization in the benefit of the whole mankind.

The article is written by He Hongze, People's Daily journalist stationed in the United Nations, and translated by People's Daily Online