Mr. President,

At the outset, on behalf of the Chinese delegation, I wish to express our deep condolences over the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and convey our sincere sympathy to our colleagues at the Permanent Mission of the UK and through them to the government and people of the UK.

Mr. President, 

I wish to thank High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu for her briefing. We have also listened attentively to the statement by Ms. Dragana Trifković.

The crisis in Ukraine, which has lasted for more than six months, has fully demonstrated the tremendous human sufferings brought about by weapons and ammunition. To date, fierce fighting is still raging on various places, and more weapons and ammunition are flowing to the battlefield, giving rise to a worrying prospect of a prolonged and expanded conflict.

Since the beginning of the crisis in Ukraine, China has consistently emphasized that the supply of weapons will not bringing peace, and that adding fuel to fire will only complicate the problem. The harsh reality and humanitarian consequences of the past six months have fully demonstrated this. Equally worrying is the scenario that a large number of weapons and ammunition falling into the wrong hands, causing endless trouble, and creating security risks in Ukraine and in the wider region. We have noticed that relevant negative impact already began to emerge.

There's no lack of lessons in this regard. In Afghanistan, up to seven billion US dollars worth of weapons and equipment have been discarded at will upon the hasty withdrawal of foreign troops, prompting rampant black markets, in which weapons are openly sold and bought daylight and are easily accessible to anyone, even children. These weapons will be a long-term obstacle to rebuilding lasting peace in Afghanistan, and will also pose huge risks to the security of regional countries. In Somalia, the firearms left by foreign troops in the 1990s have now become easily available to terrorists, who used them to kill or engage in violence, threatening the lives of civilians, including women and children. In China, in the 1930s and 1940s, invaders left behind chemical weapons that are still seriously threatening our people’s lives, the safety of their properties, and the ecological environment. 

Mr. President, 

China has always maintained that dialogue and negotiation is the most realistic and feasible way to resolve the crisis. Only by seeking common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, can there be long-term stability and security in Europe and in the world. The Ukrainian crisis once again proved to us in a brutal way that pursuing power politics, seeking absolute security, obsessing with military power, and creating division and confrontation cannot bring peace and stability. Nor can they bring reconciliation and tranquility. All parties concerned should remain in contact and communication, and leave room for diplomatic negotiations, so as to create conditions for a political settlement and achieve a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities at an early date.

I would like to stress again that on the issue of Ukraine, China has always believed that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be followed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, and every effort conducive to the peaceful resolution of the crisis should be supported. We will continue to stand on the side of peace, the side of dialogue, and the side of humanity, and will play a constructive role in the proper settlement of the crisis in Ukraine. 

Thank you, Mr. President.