President Hu Jintao Calls for Peace in Iraq

Chinese President Hu Jintao met with visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali in Beijing on March 25, 2003.

On the Iraq issue, Hu said the Chinese Government has always insisted on a political solution within the framework of the United Nations and has made unremitting efforts to this end.　 

He said it is regrettable that war has broken out and China is deeply worried about the humanitarian disasters and impact on regional and global peace, stability and development that it would cause.

The president said peace is the common aspiration of people around the world. China calls for the countries involved to stop military actions as soon as possible and return to the correct path of solving the Iraq issue by political means.

The Chinese Government has already sent and will continue to offer humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people suffering from war, Hu said.

 

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Chinese Premier: China Is Concerned About Iraq Situation

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao held talks with his visiting Pakistani counterpart Mil' Zafarullah Khan Jamali in Beijing on March 24, 2003. The two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations and the international situation.

Wen said although the current global situation is undergoing profound changes, peace, development and cooperation remain the objective of most people. He said China is an important force in maintaining global peace, stability and development and will play an active and constructive role in international affairs.

He said China, deeply concerned about the current situation in Iraq, has maintained a consistent and clear stance on the issue. "It has made unremitting efforts to solve the issue through political means," he added.

The Chinese premier called for an early cessation of the war in Iraq and the return to the right path of political solution within the framework of the United Nations so as to reduce the humanitarian catastrophe suffered by the Iraqi people and to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq.

 

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Foreign Ministry Issues Statement on Iraq Issue

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China issued on March 20, 2003 a statement on the military operations against Iraq by the United States and some of its allies.

Following is the full text of the statement: 

On March 20, bypassing the UN Security Council, the United States and some other countries launched military operations against Iraq. The Chinese Government hereby expresses its serious concern.

The Chinese Government has all along stood for a political settlement of the Iraq issue within the UN framework, urging the Iraqi Government to fully and earnestly implement relevant Security Council resolutions and calling for respect for Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity by the international community.

Security Council Resolution 1441 adopted unanimously last November is an important basis for a political settlement of the Iraq question. It is the widely held view in the international community that the strict implementation of Resolution 1441 can deny Iraq weapons of mass destruction through peaceful means. The Chinese Government has worked tirelessly with various countries to this end.

War will inevitably lead to humanitarian disasters and undermine the security, stability and development of the region and the world at large. People throughout the world detest war and want to see peace preserved. The Chinese Government is always committed to peace and stability in the world. We stand for settlement of international disputes by political means and reject the use or threat of force in international affairs. The Chinese Government strongly appeals to the relevant countries to stop military actions and return to the right path of seeking a political solution to the Iraq question.

 

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　　　  Statement of NPC Foreign Affairs Committee on Military Actions Against Iraq

The Foreign Affairs Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC) issued a statement on March 21, 2003, expressing grave worries over the military actions against Iraq by the United States and some of its allies and strongly calling for a halt to the operations.

Following is the full text of the statement:

On March 20 the United States and some other countries launched military actions against Iraq. We hereby express our grave worries.

China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has always devoted itself to safeguarding the unity, authority and role of the Security Council. It has always stood for a political solution to the Iraq issue within the UN framework, and urged the Iraqi Government to strictly, fully and earnestly implement relevant Security Council resolutions and to destroy completely any weapons of mass destruction. Meanwhile, China maintains that Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected. Resolution 1441, adopted unanimously by the Security Council, is an important basis for a political settlement of the Iraq issue. China has never given up a glimmer of hope for peace, and has always been making unremitting efforts to this end, along with relevant parties.

The people of China and the rest of the world long for peace. We have always been committed to safeguarding world peace and stability, have always stood for settling international disputes by political means and have always opposed resorting to force in international disputes.

The military actions against Iraq by the United States and other countries would cause humanitarian disasters, casualties and the loss of property of the Iraqi people, while endangering peace and stability in the region. We are deeply worded about the development of the situation. We strongly appeal to the relevant countries to comply with the will of the international community, stop military actions and promptly return to the track of seeking a political solution.

 

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　　　  Statement of CPPCC Foreign Affairs Committee on US Military Actions Against Iraq

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee issued on 21 March 2003 a statement on the military actions against Iraq by the United States and some of its allies.

Following is the full text of the statement:

　 

On March 20, without authorization from the UN Security Council and ignoring the world's common wish for peace, the United States and some other countries went their own way and launched military actions against Iraq. CPPCC National Committee members from all political parties, social groups, all walks of life and ethnic groups are shocked and concerned about this.

For a long period, the United Nations has made unremitting efforts to solve the Iraq issue peacefully through political means and has made positive progress. In particular, Resolution 1441, passed unanimously by the UN Security Council, laid a sound basis for the UN weapons inspectors to carry out their mission and realize the goal of denying Iraq weapons of mass destruction through political means. When the door for peace was still open, the United States and some other countries wantonly used force against a sovereign country. Those activities, trampling over the UN Charter and the basic norms of international relations, set a vicious precedent for international relations in the 21st century. The military actions will not only cause humanitarian disasters for the Iraqi people, undermine the security, stability and development of the region and the world at large, but cause grave harm to the people of the United States as well. 

The CPPCC National Committee firmly supports the Chinese Government's stance and proposition on solving the Iraq issue. The Chinese people have been consistently committed to maintaining world peace and stability and rejecting the use or threat of force in international relations. We are deeply worried about the condition of the Iraqi people trapped in the war. We appeal for the safety of lives and property of Iraqi civilians to be protected under any circumstances. Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected and maintained. We strongly call for the countries concerned to comply with the appeal of the international community, stop military actions and continue to seek a political solution to the Iraq issue within the UN framework.

 

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　　　 The Islamic Association of China issued a statement on March 22, 2003, strongly calling for the United States and other countries to stop military actions against Iraq.
   
       Following is the full text of the statement:
   
       On March 20, the United States and some other countries, bypassing the UN Security Council and ignoring the opposition of the international community, launched military actions against Iraq. The Chinese Foreign Ministry had issued a solemn statement on this. The Association fully supports the Chinese Government's principled stance on the Iraq issue.
   
       The United States and some other countries have outrageously started military actions against Iraq, regardless of the diplomatic mediation and efforts made by the international community to avoid war and the anti-war voices expressed by the people in most nations, including the American people. The Association is greatly indignant at their actions and strongly condemns them. We also express our great concern and sympathy to the Iraqi people who are suffering from the agony of war. The Association strongly calls for the United States and some other countries to stop military operations, and return to the correct path of political settlement of the Iraq issue.
   
       Islam adwocates for peace and more than 20 million Chinese Muslims love peace and oppose war. The stances and opinions that the Chinese Government holds on the Iraq issue represent the wishes of the Chinese people, including the Muslims.
   
       We, the Chinese Muslims, should start from the national fundamental interests and speak out the wishes for peace and anti-war sentiments through normal channels. We believe Allah is just. Let's pray Allah for delivering Iraqi Muslim brothers and sisters from the disasters of war as early as possible and blessing the world with peace and tranquility.
   
       Amin!

       

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　　　 Imam Chen Guangyuan, President of the Islamic Association of China, published an open letter on the U.S.- led military actions against Iraq to all Chinese Muslims on March 22, 2003.
   
       The full text of the letter follows:

       In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
   
       Muslim brothers and sisters of all ethnic groups across the country:
   
       Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rehmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu!
   
       On March 20, the United States and some other countries, bypassing the UN Security Council and ignoring the opposition of the international community, launched military actions against Iraq. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Islamic Association of China had issued solemn statements on this. I fully support the Chinese Government's principled stance on the Iraq issue.
   
       We express our great indignation and condemnation over the military actions against Iraq by the United States and some of its allies, who have ignored the diplomatic mediation and efforts made by the international community to avoid war and the anti-war voices expressed by the people in different countries, including the American people. We are also concerned about and sympathetic with the Iraqi people who are suffering from the agony of war. We call the United States and other countries to stop military operations, and return to the correct path of political settlement of the Iraq issue.
   
       Islam advocates for peace and more than 20 million Chinese Muslims love peace and oppose war. The stances and opinions that the Chinese Government holds on the Iraq issue represent the wishes of the Chinese people, including the Muslims.
   
       Chinese Muslims have a fine tradition of loving their motherland, Islam and peace. We believe that the Chinese Government will uphold its stances and continue to make diplomatic efforts for an early settlement of the Iraq issue. We sincerely hope that all Muslims across the country will start from the national fundamental interests, remain cool- minded and calm, and speak out the wishes for peace and anti-war sentiments through normal and lawful channels, instead of taking extreme actions on impulse that may lead to results contrary to what we hope for or harmful to social stability. We should do our duty and obligations to maintain social stability and unity among different ethnic groups, and promote economic growth and the building of a well-off society in an all-round way. Only when the nation becomes powerful and the people turn affluent, can our motherland, which has always stood for peace and development and opposed war, have a stronger say in the international arena and make bigger contributions to safeguarding world peace.
   
       We believe Allah is just. Let's pray Allah for delivering Iraqi Muslim brothers and sisters from the disasters of war as early as possible and blessing the world with peace and tranquility.
   
       Amin!