I welcome His Excellency, Mr. Željko Komšić, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina to today’s meeting. I also welcome the representatives of Serbia, Croatia, and the EU.

China's position on Bosnia and Herzegovina is consistent and clear. We respect Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty, independence, and territory integrity, and the choice made by its people for the future and the destiny of the country. We encourage all ethnic groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina to aim for promoting national development and improving people's well-being, actively engage in constructive dialogue, enhance mutual trust, achieve national reconciliation, and jointly safeguard political and social stability in the country.

For some time, the use of the Bonn powers has caused considerable controversy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I would like to reiterate that the High Representative mechanism and its Bonn powers are special arrangements for special periods. Ultimately, it is the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina themselves that should settle their affairs pertaining to the country. At the present, the economy and people's livelihood in Bosnia and Herzegovina are facing more difficulties and challenges. The Secretary-General’s report indicates that the population outflows from Bosnia and Herzegovina as many as 100,000 in the past decade. This is a very serious problem. We call upon the international community to increase its support and assistance for Bosnia and Herzegovina, so as to meet its development challenges and advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. At the same time, we encourage Bosnia and Herzegovina to provide a fair, just, and non-discriminatory business environmental for foreign enterprises to better attract foreign investors and create more employment opportunities.

China supports all efforts conducive to maintaining peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We commend the role played by Serbia, Croatia, and other regional countries in this regard. We hope that EUFOR ALTHEA will continue to play a constructive role in maintaining security and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, assist in mine clearance and combating terrorism and organized crime. And in this process, the views of Bosnia and Herzegovina should be heard and respected.