China thanks the United States for having convened this meeting. We also thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Shearer, and Ambassador Ciss for their briefings.

At present, the situation in South Sudan remains very complex. President Kiir has made an appeal for peace through dialogue. At the same time, the political, security, development and humanitarian sectors in South Sudan continue to face numerous challenges. In particular, the severity of the ongoing famine is making it increasingly difficult for achieving sustained peace. China proposes that international community provide assistance in the following three areas.

First, we must continue to advance the political settlement in South Sudan. Achieving peace and stability is a shared aspiration of all parties in South Sudan. A political settlement is the only way out for South Sudan. What is at stake is for the international community to convince all parties in South Sudan to abandon military means, cease hostilities and immediately get back to the political-settlement track so as to implement the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan in earnest.

China welcomes President Kiir’s initiative in hosting a national dialogue. We look forward to seeing an early start of such a dialogue, which should have the extensive and active participation of all parties in South Sudan. China hails and supports the efforts of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union (AU) and all other parties aimed at contributing actively to South Sudan’s political process. We hope that IGAD, the AU and the United Nations can achieve enhanced coordination and emit a joint signal in favor of finding synergies for the achievement of a solution.

Secondly, we must assist the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) in better fulfilling its mandate. Secretary-General Guterres recently submitted a report on the restructuring of UNMISS (S/2017/224). It is our hope that the Secretariat can use this as a good opportunity to press ahead with the reform of the peacekeeping system to make the Mission better perform its mandate and increase its operational effectiveness so as to ensure greater safety for peacekeepers and better respond to the complex situation. China hopes that the Secretariat can improve its coordination with South Sudan’s Transitional Government of National Unity and IGAD to promote the deployment of the Regional Protection Force and to properly address any issues that might arise in cooperation. We hope that the Government of South Sudan can actively implement the Security Council’s resolutions and presidential statement S/PRST/2017/4, and support the better fulfillment of UNMISS mandates and the deployment of the Regional Protection Force.

Thirdly, it is important for the Security Council to send out more positive and supportive messages. At present, under the current circumstances, the Security Council must encourage all parties in South Sudan to actively engage in the dialogue process and stay jointly committed to peace, stability and development. The international community must provide timely and effective assistance to help the South Sudanese people to overcome their current difficulties.

China notes that the Panel of Experts of the South Sudan Sanctions Committee recently submitted its final report (S/2017/326). China believes that any actions taken by the Security Council must be cautious ones, lead to promoting the process of a political settlement and support the mediation efforts of IGAD and the AU.

Given the severity of famine that South Sudan is facing and as a response to the United Nations appeal, the Chinese Government has decided, with the help of the World Food Programme to provide $5 million in contingency food aid to South Sudan and through bilateral channels to provide 8,750 tons of food to assist South Sudan in better responding to famine. China is ready to continue to play its constructive part in restoring peace, stability and development in South Sudan.

(Photo by Li Muzi, Xinhua News Agency)