Secretary-General of the United Nations the appointee's national origin and to gender equality, although no woman has yet served as Secretary-General. The length of the term is discretionary, but all Secretaries-General since 1971 have been appointed to five-year terms. Every Secretary-General since 1961 has been re-selected for a second term, with the exception of Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who was vetoed by the United States in the 1996 selection. There is a term limit of two full terms, established when China cast a record 16 vetoes against Kurt Waldheim's third term in the 1981 selection. No Secretary-General since 1981 has attempted to secure a third term. The
1981 United Nations Secretary-General selection four ballots. The Security Council voted twice more on 28 October 1981 and held another two ballots on 4 November 1981. Waldheim received 10–11 votes, while Salim received 8–9 votes. However, China continued to veto Waldheim, and the United States continued to veto or vote against Salim. Vice President George H. W. Bush led the opposition to Salim, who had led the cheering in the General Assembly when Ambassador Bush lost a key vote on the Chinese seat at the U.N. in 1971. Meanwhile, Salim promised to act impartially if he became Secretary-General, as he would no longer have to