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Remarks by Ambassador Dai Bing at the UN Security Council Briefing on Yemen

2023-01-16 23:50

Mr. President,


I thank Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and Under-Secretary-General Martin Griffiths for the briefings, and welcome the representatives of Yemen and Saudi Arabia to today’s meeting.


In 2022, truce brought the hope of peace and tangible benefits to the people of Yemen, and presented a rare opportunity for resolving the issue of Yemen. At present, the military situation in Yemen is by and large stable, yet the status quo of neither war nor peace cannot last ad infinitum, nor can the window of opportunity for peace remain open forever. All parties concerned should act with a sense of urgency and expedite dialogue and negotiation. The international community should provide more constructive assistance. 


First, staying committed to the overall direction of political settlement. Parties to the conflict, the Houthis in particular, should avoid any action that may undermine mutual trust and compromise the atmosphere of peace talks, fully demonstrate political will, and set reasonable expectations, and reach agreement on relevant issues as early as possible. China appreciates and supports the efforts by Special Envoy Grundberg and Saudi Arabia and Oman. The Security Council should remain united, and work together to facilitate peace talks, mobilize all parties to engage actively, so as to break the deadlock of the Yemeni political process without delay. 


Second, alleviating the humanitarian predicament of Yemeni people. Blighted by the eight-year-old conflict, Yemen faces one of the most fragile and serious humanitarian situations on the Council’s agenda. According to OCHA’s estimates, around 21.6 million people across Yemen will need humanitarian assistance this year. We appreciate Saudi Arabia’s food aid to the poorest people in Yemen. The international community should increase humanitarian and development input, and jointly help the country improve its humanitarian situation. We call on all parties in Yemen to provide necessary humanitarian access, and effectively ensure the safety of humanitarian workers. 


The well-being of Yemeni people has always been on our mind. Last month, at the first China-Arab States Summit, President Xi Jinping proposed eight major cooperation initiatives covering development, food security, health, green Innovation, energy security, inter-civilization dialogue, youth development, and security and stability. China plans to provide more humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Arab countries, including Yemen.


Third, fostering a favorable regional environment. The situation in Yemen has important implications on the security of the region. It is the common aspiration of countries in the region to pursue peace rather than war. China remains steadfast in supporting regional countries in safeguarding national security, commends their efforts towards finding a political solution to the Yemeni issue, and encourages countries with influence on the situation in Yemen to provide constructive assistance. A sound regional environment is conducive to resolving the issue of Yemen. China encourages regional countries to address their differences through dialogue, and build mutual trust and security together. 


Thank you, Mr. President.

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