Mr. President,

I thank Special Representative Patten and the other briefers for their briefings.

As the conflict in Ukraine enters its fourth month, it has taken a heavy toll on the Ukrainian people. The security risks faced by women and children are particularly worrisome. Parties to the conflict should comply with international law, and take measures to protect civilians from all forms of violence, including sexual violence and human trafficking against women and girls. People affected by violence should have timely access to medical, psychological, and social services. And parties to the conflict should ensure that hospitals and other civilian facilities are protected from attacks. The United Nations and the Ukrainian Government signed a framework agreement last month to help survivors of sexual violence and prevent human trafficking. We hope this will provide effective protection for vulnerable groups such as women and children. The use of sexual violence as a tactic of war is a serious crime, and any allegations should be investigated impartially on the basis of facts.

Since the outbreak of the conflict, 6.8 million Ukrainian people have crossed the border into neighboring countries for refuge, the vast majority of whom are women and children. China appreciates the humanitarian spirit shown by Ukraine’s neighboring countries in providing safe shelter and basic livelihood for women and children refugees. Meanwhile, the growing number of cases of human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and sexual abuse targeting women and children refugees are disturbing. China calls for immediate international cooperation to identify and punish relevant criminal acts, and to resolutely stop secondary victimization of women and children. The Office of Special Representative Patten, UN Women, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNODC, OHCHR, and other international agencies should strengthen monitoring and analysis, and provide professional and technical support to combat human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and sexual abuse against refugees.

Mr. President,

Eliminating sexual violence and human trafficking in conflict is not the end of our efforts. Only through ceasefire and restoring peace can the trauma of conflict for women and children be fundamentally avoided. The international community should work together to promote peace talks, and encourage Russia and Ukraine to come back to the negotiation track. We hope the upcoming meeting between Russia, Ukraine, the UN, and Turkey will help resolve the food issue in Ukraine while building mutual trust among parties to conflict.

Providing weapons or imposing sanctions and pressure will not solve the problem, but will only perpetuate and expand the conflict. People in Ukraine and other developing countries have no reason to pay the price for geopolitical and bloc confrontations. At a time when human destiny is shared and the global security is indivisible, no country can or should seek its own absolute security at the expense of the security of others. And international and regional security cannot and should not be guaranteed by strengthening military blocs and cutting off supply and industrial chains. China once again calls on the parties concerned to put international and regional peace and security first, and to play a constructive role in the proper resolution of the crisis in Ukraine.

Thank you, Mr. President.