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Remarks by Ambassador Geng Shuang at the UN Security Council Briefing on Weapon Supply to Ukraine

2022-12-09 22:50

Madam President,


I thank Under-Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu and Mr. Daniel Kovalik for their briefings. 


The Ukraine crisis has been unfolding for almost 10 months now. A large amount of weapons and ammunition have poured into the country. Human lives appear so fragile in front of gun barrels. Both sides have suffered huge losses and immense trauma in the fighting, with ordinary people bearing the brunt. 


Ms. Nakamitsu stated in a briefing to the Security Council this past September that a large scale influx of weapons to conflict-affected zones raises concerns about potential diversion. Ms. Nakamitsu re-emphasized this point in her briefing just now. In June this year, Interpol also indicated that weapons destined for Ukraine could end up on the black market and fall into the hands of criminals. These warnings have unfortunately materialized. There have been reports that some armed groups and terrorist organizations in the Middle East and Africa have obtained, through illegal channels, weapons and ammunition flowing from Ukraine. The international community should pay attention to this issue, and take preventive measures. From a long-term perspective, the largest stockpile of weapons, ammunition, and explosives in the Ukrainian territory may pose security risks to post-conflict reconstruction. Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia are among the countries that had a painful experience in this regard. 


Madam President, 


On the Ukraine issue, China has always advocated the cessation of hostilities as well as dialogue and peace talks. Since the onset of the crisis, China has always stressed that a political solution is the only way out. Flooding the battlefield with weapons and continuously expanding the categories and the scope of deployed armaments will only aggravate existing strife, prolong and amplify the conflict, and make ordinary people pay a high price. Facts have shown that resolving the crisis through dialogue and negotiation is the only way to effectively minimize casualties and help restore peace in Ukraine and entire Europe. China once again calls on the international community to redouble its efforts to encourage peace talks, provide a favorable atmosphere for the parties involved to return to negotiations, and create conditions for political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. 


During his recent meetings with leaders of several countries on the issue of Ukraine, President Xi Jinping underscored that conflicts and wars produce no winner, and that a complex issue has no simple solution. In the current situation, China believes that the international community must work together on four fronts, namely, first, jointly support all efforts aimed at peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis, call on all parties concerned to stay level-headed, exercise restraint, and make direct contact as soon as possible, in order to create conditions for relaunching negotiations; second, jointly reject the use or threat of nuclear weapons, reaffirm that nuclear weapons should never be used, and nuclear wars should never be fought, and prevent a nuclear crisis on the Eurasian continent; third, make joint efforts to stabilize the global supply chain, and prevent any disruption to international energy, food, and financial cooperation that may undermine global economic recovery, especially the economic and fiscal stability of developing countries; fourth, jointly provide winter relief for civilians in the crisis-affected areas, improve humanitarian situations on the ground, and prevent humanitarian crisis on an even larger scale. China will continue to uphold objectivity and impartiality, and work with all peace-loving countries in the world to play a constructive role for the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis. 


Thank you, Madam President.


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