China declares its adherence to the United Nations after Trump invited it to a “peace council”

China said on Wednesday that it would defend the international system, of which the United Nations is the “core,” the day after it announced that it had received an invitation to join the “peace council” proposed by US President Donald Trump.

Beijing confirmed on Tuesday that it had received an American invitation to join the council, which aims, according to a charter seen by Agence France-Presse, to contribute to resolving conflicts.

China has not yet confirmed whether it will accept the invitation, but Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiaqun said in a press conference on Wednesday that Beijing will support an international system based on the United Nations, regardless of “changes.”

“No matter how the international situation changes, China firmly adheres to the international system with the United Nations at its core, and to international relations based on the goals and principles of the United Nations Charter,” Guo said.

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.