United Nations, June 2 (Xinhua-RHC) -- China assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for June on Friday.

China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Li Baodong, took over the rotating presidency from Agshin Mehdiyev, the permanent representative of Azerbaijan to the UN.

Under the UN Charter, the Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security in the world at large.

In an interview with the UN-based Chinese media earlier this week, Li said that China will fulfil its duty as the rotating president of the Security Council in June in a fair, neutral and pragmatic way, so as to effectively maintain international peace and security.

According to the current provisional work program for June, the Security Council is expected to review nearly 30 issues, covering major international areas of conflict, such as Syria, Sudan and South Sudan, and the Middle East, Li said; who added that the Council is also scheduled to hold an open debate in June on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts.

The UN Security Council presidency rotates each month among the Council members in the English alphabetical order of their names. Each president holds office for one calendar month. Previously, China assumed the rotating Council presidency in March, 2011.

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