China to Overtake Japan as No. 2 U.N. Contributor

August 15, 2018

New York- China is expected to overtake Japan as the second-largest contributor to the U.N. regular budget for 2019-2021, a report from the world body showed Tuesday.

The calculations by the Committee on Contributions highlighted the relative decline in Japan's economic power and further growth for China, the world's second-biggest economy.

In the U.N. peacekeeping budget, China surpassed Japan as the second-largest contributor in 2016.

Observers said Japan's influence in U.N. affairs could weaken and that Japan's chances of becoming a permanent U.N. Security Council member could become smaller.

Japan will fulfill its responsibility faithfully as a major financial contributor to the United Nations, the Foreign Ministry said.

Japan's share of contributions to the U.N. regular budget will fall to 8.564 pct in 2019-2021 from 9.680 pct in the previous three years, while China is set to lift its share to 12.005 pct from 7.921 pct, according to the calculations.

The share of the United States, the largest contributor, will be unchanged, at 22.000 pct.

The calculations were based on data such as gross national income. Each member state's actual share will be determined at a U.N. General Assembly meeting by the end of this year after negotiations based on the calculations.

Japan became the second-largest contributor to the U.N. regular budget in 1986 on the back of its strong economic growth, topping the former Soviet Union.

Japan's share peaked at 20.573 pct in 2000 before starting a declining trend due to the country's slowing economic growth. Jiji Press