President,

I thank Mr. Adedeji Ebo and Mr. George Szamuely for their briefings. 

The Ukraine crisis has dragged on with no sign of the end of the fighting. As all kinds of weapons and ammunition keep flowing in with widening variety and scope, the battlefield has become a show of weapons. The Council has considered the issue of providing weapons to Ukraine many times, and many Council members, including China, have expressed concerns about the increased lethality of the weapons and the rising risk of diversion and proliferation. I would like to reiterate that weapons may help win wars, but they cannot win lasting peace. The continued supply of weapons to the battlefield will only exacerbate the cruelty, danger, and unpredictability of the war, hasten the spread of the spillover effects, and further dim the hopes for the cessation of hostilities. 

China believes that the pressing priority of the moment is to follow the three principles of no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of the fighting, and no provocation by any party, and work to deescalate the situation and resolve the crisis politically as soon as possible. We call on the parties to the conflict to demonstrate in earnest their political will and start peace talks and stop fighting as quickly as possible, and call on the international community to actively create favorable conditions and provide constructive assistance to this end. 

President, 

If I'm not mistaken, the representatives of the US will, as on previous occasions, discredit and vilify China and play the blame game on the Ukraine issue. At previous meetings, I responded to these accusations. Today, I might as well take offensive and say a few things about the US first. 

First, the Ukraine crisis is essentially an eruption of the build-up security tensions in Europe, a result of the long-term accumulation and worsening of the secure deficit and trust deficit in Europe, and it is precisely the US that is constantly exacerbating security tensions, widening the trust deficit, and creating division and confrontation in Europe. 

Second, after the outbreak of the war, in the face of an increasingly severe humanitarian crisis and spillover effects, most countries in the world have called for an early resumption of peace talks and a ceasefire to end the war. It is precisely the US that keeps sending weapons to the battlefield, openly calls it an opportunity to weaken and defeat Russia, and blatantly advances its own geopolitical agenda. 

Third, at present, the international community is calling for cooperation rather than division, and the resolution of the Ukraine crisis requires dialogue rather than confrontation. It is precisely the US that has repeatedly discredited China’s peace efforts, constantly ties China to Russia, drives a wedge in the relations between China and Europe, and deliberately creates bloc confrontation.

Here is my advice for the US: peddling anxiety, creating enemies, and stoking confrontation will not only bring disputes and chaos to the world, but will also hurt the US itself. In the end, we hope that the US can stop its pointless blame game and work with the countries concerned, including China, to make tangible contributions to the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, instead of obstructing the international community’s efforts for peace. 

In closing, if the representative of the US uncharacteristically does not make accusations against China in his statement later, I would like to apologize to him in advance.

Thank you, President.

Second Round of Remarks by Ambassador Geng Shuang at the UN Security Council Briefing on Arms Supply to Ukraine

President,

My response will be brief. China has not provided arms to any party to the conflict in Ukraine and has always strictly controlled dual-use items. Chinese enterprises carry out normal economic and trade cooperation with countries around the world, including Russia and Ukraine, in accordance with WTO rules and market principles, which is reasonable, legitimate, and beyond reproach. We oppose the US use of the Ukraine issue to smear China’s image and exert pressure on China, and its wanton imposition of unilateral sanctions and illegal long-arm jurisdiction on Chinese entities and individuals. We will take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and citizens.

I would also like to point out that, from the very beginning of the war, China has called for an early ceasefire and an end to the fighting, for the settlement of disputes through diplomatic negotiations, and for the promotion of a political settlement. Over the past three years, China has been speaking out and using its good offices to that end. I think the international community can see clearly who is supporting peace and who is obstructing it.

Thank you.