President,

I would like to thank High Commissioner Salih for his briefing. UNHCR has long been working in conflict and war-torn regions, providing vital protection and assistance to large numbers of refugees, to which China pays its tribute.

At present, regional conflicts are becoming more protracted and recurring, and humanitarian crises can break out frequently in multiple locations. The total number of refugees worldwide now exceeds 40 million. The international community should uphold the humanitarian spirit, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and jointly address the refugee issue. I will make four points.

First, we must prioritize promoting political solutions to conflicts. Facts have repeatedly shown that so long as fighting continues, the refugee crisis will remain fundamentally unresolved. The ongoing conflict in Sudan and the recurring escalations in the Middle East have attracted widespread attention to the refugee issue. The Security Council must fulfill its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, uphold the principle of a peaceful settlement of dispute, and urge the parties to the conflict to renounce violence and achieve a lasting ceasefire at the earliest opportunity. The international community should persist in urging reconciliation and promoting dialogue, strive to de-escalate tensions, and jointly create the most basic conditions for refugees to return to their homes voluntarily, safely, and with dignity.

Second, we must continue to strengthen humanitarian protection for refugees. The number of refugees and IDPs worldwide remains stubbornly high, leading to widespread humanitarian crises. with women and children bearing the heavy brunt. All parties to the conflict should comply with the international humanitarian law, protect the safety of civilians and the civilian infrastructure, and ensure unimpeded access to humanitarian aid. Currently, more than 2 million people in Gaza remain displaced. The international community must ensure that the people of Gaza have access to basic supplies such as food and medicine, open up humanitarian routes and ensure that there are no man-made restrictions and obstacles, oppose the forced displacement of the Gazan population, reject attempts to annex land in Gaza or the West Bank so as to prevent new and larger-scale displacement.

Third, effectively ensure burden sharing of international responsibilities. Low and middle income countries host 70 percent of the world’s refugees, compounding the hardships of these countries that don't have much in the first place and imposing even heavier economic, social, and ecological burdens on them. The refugee issue is a global issue and it should not be borne solely by a few countries, particularly developing countries. Developed countries should provide greater support to major refugee-hosting countries and multilateral humanitarian agencies. It is not reasonable to, on the one hand, demand that developing countries shoulder more responsibility, while on the other hand, continue to cut aid. All parties must implement the Global Compact on Refugees and establish a fair and reasonable mechanism for burden-sharing of international responsibilities.

Fourth. We must advance lasting solutions to the refugee issue. Development is the key foundation and a fundamental solution to the refugee problem. In many countries, particularly in African countries, poverty, food insecurity, and the impact of natural disasters are often intertwined with conflict and instability, exacerbating the refugee crisis. At the same time, whether refugees can voluntarily return to their homes and reintegrate into society also depend on whether there is a stable and conducive environment for development in their countries of origin. The international community, particularly developed countries, should respect the development path of each country, increase development assistance to relevant countries to help them restore their economies, improve employment, education, and infrastructure, and enhance their capacity to respond to risks, thereby laying a solid foundation for lasting solutions for refugee and displacement issues.

President,

China is a state party to the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its Protocol. We attach great importance to international cooperation on refugee issues and actively carry out international refugee assistance projects with UNHCR, providing assistance through bilateral and multilateral channels to large numbers of refugees and displaced persons in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Guided by President Xi Jinping's Global Governance Initiative, China is ready to continue to work with the international community to make new contributions to advancing the resolution of global refugee issues and promoting world peace and development.

I thank you.