Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday called for renewed commitment to the United Nations Charter and warned against unilateral actions and "double standards", amid growing geopolitical tensions and challenges to multilateralism.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while presiding over a Security Council high-level meeting on upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centered international system.

Wang said the current international situation is undergoing the most complex and profound changes seen since the Second World War, stressing that the challenges confronting the world today test the international community's conviction to safeguard peace, its resolve to uphold justice, and its courage to pursue reform and innovation.

"We must unite and take action to uphold, revitalize and strengthen the United Nations," he said.

The meeting, held under China's rotating presidency of the Security Council for May, was attended by representatives from more than 100 countries, including more than 20 foreign ministers and high-level delegates.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday also delivered a briefing on the current international situation at the meeting.

Wang urged the international community to reaffirm the spirit of the UN Charter, saying that the surging global conflicts are "not a sign of the Charter's obsolescence", but from failures to uphold the international order and basic norms of international relations established under it.

"Major countries in particular should shoulder their responsibilities, uphold the rule of law and fairness, and reject double standards, exceptionalism and selective application of rules," he said.

On the role of the Security Council, Wang said council membership is "not a privilege, but a responsibility", and urged members to "rise above national self-interest".

He called for improvements to the council's working methods to ensure objectivity, fairness and inclusiveness in draft resolutions and initiatives, and urged permanent members to strengthen coordination and seek consensus on major issues.

"Unilateral military actions without Security Council authorization and unilateral sanctions beyond the scope of Security Council resolutions lack legitimacy," Wang said.

On international development collaboration, Wang urged the United Nations to coordinate global action and mobilize global resources, providing greater financial, technical and intellectual support to countries of the Global South in priority areas such as poverty reduction.

On global governance challenges, Wang said China "supports a greater UN role in the political settlement of hotspot issues and is open to exploring a comprehensive mediation model involving the UN, regional organizations, stakeholders and professional institutions".

On revitalizing the effectiveness of the UN system, Wang said that the organization's role "must be strengthened, not weakened" and its standing "must be upheld, not replaced".

He urged member states to fulfill their financial obligations to the United Nations and support its work.

Following the meeting, Wang told reporters that China has maintained communication and coordination between the United States and Iran, as well as important regional and international partners.

"We believe that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of all countries in the region must be respected, that civilian and non-military targets must be protected, that the security of passages and energy infrastructure must be safeguarded, and that the provisions of the nuclear non-proliferation regime must be implemented," he said.

Wang said the key to the current situation lies in talks between the United States and Iran. He welcomed mediation efforts by countries including Pakistan and voiced support for diplomatic efforts by both sides.

Wang also outlined China's position regarding the qualifications required for the next UN secretary-general.

"To sum up, commitment to the UN Charter; outstanding competency; integrity and impartiality; and initiative to take responsibility and deliver," he said, listing what he believes are the minimum qualifications the next UN chief should possess.

"Going forward, China will work with others and take a responsible attitude to participate in the selection process of the next secretary-general," he told reporters.

Asked about China's proposal to help the Security Council better carry out its mission, Wang said the council remains at the core of the international collective security mechanism and bears the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security through more than 80 years of changes and challenges.

"At the same time, we need to admit that in recent years, on major hot-spot issues, the Security Council has at times been absent. So in order to reinvigorate the UN, we need to first reinvigorate the Security Council," he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Wang met separately with Guterres, as well as the foreign ministers of Bahrain and Indonesia, and exchanged greetings with other senior representatives attending the meeting, including officials from Nicaragua and Kazakhstan.

Xinhua contributed to the story.