Mr. President,

I would like to thank Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and Ms. Edem Wosornu for their briefings, and welcome the presence of the representative of Yemen at today's meeting. 

The growing intention in the Red Sea is indeed worrying. The attacks and military operations in question have resulted in casualties, which we regret. China calls on the Houthis to respect the right of commercial vessels of all countries to navigate in the waters of the Red Sea in accordance with international law and to immediately cease their attacks. We call on the parties concerned to exercise restraint and immediately cease actions that might exacerbate tensions. I would like to reiterate that the Council has never authorized any country to use force against Yemen. International law and resolutions of this Council should not be subjected to misrepresentation and abuse by any country. 

The escalation in the Red Sea is seriously disrupting the political process in Yemen. The previous commitment by the parties concerned to a set of measures to implement a nation-wide ceasefire, improvement of living conditions, and the resumption of an inclusive political process under UN auspices is hard won and deserves to be cherished. We hope that the parties concerned will adhere to the general direction of a political settlement, place above all else the interests and the well-being of the Yemeni people, and continue to push forward the Yemeni-led and the Yemeni-owned political process. China supports the work of Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and expects all parties, especially those with major influence, to play a constructive role in easing the situation. 

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen persists, with more than 18 million civilians in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and about 2.4 million children suffering from malnutrition. China calls on the international community to increase its investment in Yemen's humanitarian and development efforts, and looks forward to the resumption of the humanitarian operations from the WFP in northern Yemen as soon as possible. 

Mr. President, 

The tension in the Red Sea is a prominent manifestation of the spillover of the Gaza conflict. We are now in the midst of the holy month of Ramadan, which should be a time of peace and tranquility for the vast majority of Muslim believers. But the people of Gaza remain mired in suffering and are deprived of any hope for peace. We once again call on Israel to immediately cease its military operations in Gaza and to stop its collective punishment of the Palestinian people. We call on the country concerned to heed the overwhelming calls of the international community and act in a truly responsible and constructive manner by enabling the Council to take action as soon as possible on the demand for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. 

Thank you, Mr. President.