President, 

First of all, I would like to thank Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen, Ms. Loraine Sievers, and Ms. Shamala Kandiah for their briefings. I thank non-Council members for their attention to the topic and their active participation in this meeting. 

The Charter of the United Nations entrusts the Security Council with the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. The Council's working methods have never been just a technical matter. They are central to the effectiveness of the Council's work and to the role and authority of the UN. At present, unilateralism, power politics, and the Cold War mentality are rampant and posing serious challenges to the multilateral system. It is imperative for the Security Council to revisit its founding mission, uphold sound principles, clarify directions for improvement, and strengthen solidarity and cooperation to inject greater stability and positive energy into a turbulent world. I would like to share the following observations. 

First, we should advocate consultation on an equal footing and build broad consensus. In recent years, the number of consensus outcomes produced by the Council has dropped significantly, with many draft resolutions being forced to a vote despite substantial disagreements. This not only deepens divisions and contradictions within the Council, but also undermines the political weight and effective authority of resolutions, making their subsequent implementation extremely difficult. Council members should respect and understand each other, listen to and accommodate each other's legitimate concerns, and strive wholeheartedly to reach consensus. While the process of consultation may be time-consuming and demand efforts, consensus outcomes can better withstand the test of history and reality. In this regard, the role of the penholder is particularly crucial. Serving as a penholder is a responsibility, not a privilege. It should be used to bridge differences and build consensus, rather than prioritize national interests or misuse public resources for private gains. We must continuously refine the requirements for penholders to ensure that their powers operate transparently and are subject to the collective oversight of all Council members.

Second, we should focus on core mandates and enhance quality and efficiency. Taking the UN80 Initiative as an opportunity, the Council should revisit the founding principles of the Charter, concentrate on its core mandates, and strengthen its leadership role in the UN pillar of peace and security. The Council should also start with small steps to overcome formalism and bureaucracy. We should streamline meeting schedules, timely adjust deliberation cycles in response to evolving situations on the ground, and reduce the frequency of discussions on broad agenda items that are repetitive or have little effect. We need to limit the duration of meetings and length of speeches, encourage like-minded countries to make joint statements, avoid lengthy and vague outcome documents, and enhance the readability and operability of such documents. We should also flexibly determine formats of meetings based on actual needs, appropriately increase informal consultations, and promote frank and efficient communication among members.

Third, we should insist on results-driven effort and pragmatic actions. The Security Council should comprehensively utilize all tools granted by the Charter to advance political solutions of hotspot issues. In accordance with Chapter VI of the Charter, we should implement the spirit of Resolution 2788 and prioritize peaceful means such as dialogue, negotiation, good offices, and mediation to resolve disputes. Sanctions, as a special tool granted to the Council under Chapter VII of the Charter, aim to create favorable conditions for political solutions, and should not replace diplomatic efforts. The Council should handle sanctions with prudence and responsibility, adjust or lift them in a timely manner as circumstances evolve, and seek to mitigate their negative impacts on humanitarian situations and economic livelihoods. The Council should also, in line with the spirit of Chapter VIII of the Charter, support regional mechanisms such as the AU, ASEAN, the Arab League, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in leveraging their unique strength to resolve regional issues through regional approaches. 

Fourth, we should exercise the veto power prudently and uphold fairness and justice. The veto system is a necessary arrangement to encourage coordination among major countries and prevent confrontation among them. It is a safety valve installed in the Security Council by the UN Charter. Historical practice shows that this system has generally fulfilled its intended purpose. However, in recent years, some country has disregarded the overwhelming voice of the international community and repeatedly abused its veto power on the Gaza issue, blocking Council actions and sparking significant controversy. China calls on the relevant country to heed the voice of the international community, earnestly shoulder its responsibility as a major power, and exercise its veto power prudently on the basis of respecting international law and upholding fairness and justice. 

President, 

As a permanent member of the Security Council, China has consistently participated in the work of the Council with a responsible attitude, supporting its role and upholding its authority. We stand ready to continue working with all parties to foster a spirit of solidarity and cooperation, explore effective ways to improve the working methods, and enable the Council to better discharge its duties and play a constructive role in maintaining international peace and security. 

Thank you, President.