LAST weekend, Beijing ended its one-month rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council. This was an opportunity for China to present an image of itself as a responsible world power, and the Chinese government grasped it with both hands, organising an open debate on maintaining international peace and security.

Since this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, the debate bore a historical theme: "Maintaining International Peace and Security: Reflect on History, Reaffirm the Strong Commitment to the Purposes and Principles of the Charter of the United Nations".

The five permanent members of the Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China - were wartime allies. Germany and Japan were excluded in 1945 but, 70 years on, the UN's structure and membership no longer represent current realities. Germany is now the most powerful country in Europe and Japan is the world's third largest economy, after the US and China, yet both are excluded from permanent membership in the council.