President,

China abstained on the draft resolution just adopted on the mandate renewal of the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti. I would like to explain China's voting position.

First, China is deeply concerned about the grave security situation in Haiti and supports regional countries and the international community in providing assistance to Haiti. However, China has always had doubts and concerns as to whether suppressing or even eliminating gangs through external military force is an appropriate way to address Haiti's security predicament. This position has not changed. The crisis in Haiti is not simply a security issue, but a deep-seated problem of state governance. At present, there is a serious absence of state authority in Haiti. Gang forces continue to relocate and regroup, corruption and collusion between the police and gangs remain prominent, and large numbers of people, including children, are forced to join gangs out of economic desperation. Under these circumstances, resorting to force to combat violence with violence is not only unlikely to succeed, but may instead further complicate an already intractable situation and cause more harm to the Haitian people.

Under the resolution just adopted, the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force will be extended for six months. The Security Council should maintain close attention and rigorous oversight of the Force, ensure that it strictly complies with international law, maintains transparency in its operations, reports developments in a timely manner, and ensures full accountability, so as to effectively protect the safety and security of the Haitian people, especially children.

Second, China has always maintained that the Security Council should seize every opportunity to focus on the deep-seated problems and prominent challenges facing Haiti, send clear signals, and take targeted actions.

— The ultimate goal of international support is to enable Haiti to maintain security on its own. The Security Council should urge the Haitian authorities to take concrete measures, strengthen capacity building, and assume, as soon as possible, the primary responsibility for protecting the people and governing the country.

— Haitian gangs still possess large quantities of weapons and ammunition, posing a grave threat to the security situation. The Security Council should make use of opportunities such as the renewal of the sanctions regime mandate to further strengthen implementation of the arms embargo and cut off gangs' sources of weapons and ammunition.

— For Security Council actions to be truly effective, they must be based on careful study and thorough deliberation. They should also be assessed, reviewed, and adjusted in a timely manner in the process of implementation in light of developments on the ground. China supports conducting a comprehensive assessment of the latest situation in Haiti, the Haitian authorities' security response, and the effectiveness of international support, including the Gang Suppression Force, so as to provide a reference for the Security Council's next-step decisions.

Regrettably, the draft resolution just adopted did not fully take on board the views and suggestions put forward by China. We will continue to uphold these constructive positions and work to ensure that the Security Council addresses the Haiti issue in a more comprehensive, responsible, and effective manner.

Finally, I wish to emphasize that the key to resolving the Haiti issue has always been in the hands of Haiti itself. This does not mean that the international community should stand by and do nothing. Rather, it should, in light of Haiti's particular national conditions and lessons learned from the past, help Haiti find the right path out of the crisis. What the Security Council needs to discuss has never been whether to support Haiti, but how to support Haiti. China recognizes the efforts made by regional countries in this regard. We stand ready to work with all parties, continue to act in a responsible manner, and play a constructive role in helping the Haitian people achieve peace, stability, and development at an early date.

Thank you, President.