China appreciates the initiative of the Senegalese presidency to convene today’s meeting. China attentively listened to the statements of Assistant Secretary-General Jenča; the Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mr. Opeloyeru; and professor Diagne of Columbia University.

OIC is a major organization of Islamic States designed to promote unity, cooperation and self-improvement. By making use of its religious, historical and cultural advantages, it has played a positive role in promoting the settlement of regional hotspot issues and in facilitating post-conflict reconstruction. Since it attained United Nations observer status, OIC has strengthened cooperation with the United Nations in such areas as dispute prevention and mediation, intercultural dialogue and humanitarian assistance. It has also actively pushed for political settlements in Somalia, Afghanistan, Mali, Libya and the Central African Republic, which has earned it international recognition and appreciation.

China supports the strengthening of cooperation between OIC and the United Nations, consolidating collective security mechanisms in a joint effort to maintain international peace and security. Terrorism is posing a grave threat to international peace and security and is therefore a common challenge for all of humankind. Terrorists and extremist forces propagate terrorist ideology and violent extremism. In certain countries, some people, especially young people, have been hoodwinked into violent extremist and terrorist activities, causing serious harm.

Counter-terrorism is an important area where the United Nations and OIC have conducted significant cooperation. China supports the United Nations and the Security Council in pushing forward their cooperation with OIC in fighting terrorist ideology. Accordingly, China would now like to offer the following comments.

First, we must stick to a unified criteria and forge a sophisticated counter-terrorism network. Acts of terrorism — whenever, wherever, by whomever committed and in whatever forms and manifestations they arise — need to be fought resolutely. Counterterrorism should not be linked to any specific nationality or religion. The United Nations and the Security Council need to play a leading and coordinating role in international counter-terrorism cooperation. Parties need to implement relevant Security Council resolutions in a comprehensive manner, strengthen exchange of information, border-control and law enforcement cooperation, combat cross-border training by terrorist organizations, and cut off the transborder flow of terrorists, all of which will serve to put strong international pressure on terrorists.

Secondly, we must give priority to cyber counterterrorism and cut off the channels for spreading terrorist ideology. The Internet and social media and other high-tech applications have become major platforms for terrorists to spread their ideology and violent extremist ideas. The international community should adopt vigorous measures to strengthen the monitoring of the Internet and crack down on terrorist organizations that are using the Internet to publish incendiary violent videos to spread terrorist ideologies and extremist ideas, recruit operatives, raise funds and plan or implement acts of terrorism.

Thirdly, dialogue among different civilizations to achieve peaceful coexistence and harmony needs to be supported. Dialogue and exchanges are effective tools for enhancing mutual understanding among different civilizations, different religions and different cultures and facilitating inclusion. The international community needs to vigorously promote mutual respect, openness and inclusiveness in a spirit of civilized dialogue and facilitate mutual learning about the diversity of civilizations, in order to foster a social atmosphere where different nationalities, cultures and religions can treat each other as equals and coexist in harmony and promote civil exchanges aimed at peace while respecting differences and achieving harmony through openness and inclusiveness.

China enjoys deep, friendly and cooperative relations with Islamic States. China attaches great importance to the unique role of OIC, appreciates the significant contribution OIC has made in promoting cooperation among Islamic States, supports OIC in its ongoing efforts to maintain international peace and security and regional peace and security, engage in counter-terrorism and promote common development.

Over the past four decades, China has conducted friendly exchanges with Islamic States and identified the ways for different civilizations, religions and social systems to live together. China is ready to deepen integration of interests under the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, strengthen ties, expand dialogue between the Chinese civilization and the Islamic civilization and commit itself to forging a new type of international relations predicated upon win-win cooperation, all with a view to building a community of shared destiny.