Madam President, 

China still has concerns about the draft resolution that was just put to the vote. In terms of the format, we believe that it would be more appropriate for the Council to adopt a presidential statement under the current circumstances. In terms of the content, although it has been amended, the tone still lacks balance. Therefore, China had to abstain in voting. I would like to explain China’s position as follows. 

First, there is no quick fix to the Myanmar issue, let alone any external solution. Whether or not it can be properly resolved in the end depends fundamentally and only on Myanmar itself. Neither democratic transition nor national reconciliation can be achieved overnight, and both require time, patience, and pragmatism. To get out of the current crisis, all parties and factions in Myanmar need to act in the fundamental interests of the country and its people, and pursue dialogues and consultations under the constitutional and legal framework to achieve political reconciliation. The large scale release of prisoners by the authority in November this year should be recognized and encouraged. The international community should adhere to the right direction of promoting peace talks, and on the premise of respecting Myanmar’s sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and unity, play a constructive role in facilitating rational dialogues and bridging differences among all parties in Myanmar. 

Second, Myanmar is a member of the ASEAN family, and ASEAN has a unique advantage in dealing with the Myanmar-related issues. For a period of time, ASEAN countries have provided constructive assistance to Myanmar, from political mediation to humanitarian assistance, demonstrating the collective wisdom and political commitment of a mature regional organization. The international community should continue to listen to ASEAN’s views, respect the ASEAN way, support ASEAN’s unity and leadership, create the necessary conditions, and allow time and space for ASEAN to build consensus and play its role. 

Third, the Security Council must always act with caution. Since last year, the Council has repeatedly considered the situation in Myanmar, and has unanimously issued nearly 10 outcome documents. China has always participated in the relevant discussions and consensus of the Council in a responsible manner. At the same time, we have always believed that the standard to measure the Council’s work is not the number of meetings convened, or documents produced, but the effectiveness of problem-solving. Blindly using the Council to exert pressure or even threatens with sanctions will only intensify confrontations and antagonism, complicate the situation, and prolong the crisis. The Council has learned hard lessons in dealing with hotspot issues, such as Libya. 

China and Myanmar are connected by mountains and rivers, and our policy of friendship towards Myanmar is for all its people. We sincerely hope that Myanmar will enjoy political and social stability, with its people living in peace and prosperity and the country achieving development and revitalization. Since the change of political situation in Myanmar, China has always maintained an objective and impartial attitude, worked hard to promote peace talks, and did our best to help Myanmar respond to the pandemic and improve people’s livelihood. China fully supports ASEAN in adhering to the ASEAN way and constructively implementing the Five-Point Consensus with Myanmar and maintaining the overall unity and leadership position of ASEAN. China expects the Council to stick to the right direction of the political settlement and focus more on safeguarding the fundamental interests of the people of Myanmar and the prosperity and stability of the region. 

I thank you, Madam President.