President, 

I thank Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, and ASG Mohamed Yahya for their briefings. I listened attentively to the remarks by Ms. Inger Ashing, civil society representative. I welcome Permanent Representatives of Yemen and Saudi Arabia at today's meeting.

Since September, the ground situation in Yemen has undergone significant changes. Parties to the conflict have engaged in intense fighting on multiple fronts along Yemen's west coast and in Taiz, Marib, and Lahj. The conflict has entered a new stage of intense confrontation. The conflict has resulted in over 4,000 casualties and displaced about 200,000 people. The adverse spillover effects are increasingly spreading to the Bab al-Mandab Strait and countries in the region. The Yemeni situation has come to a critical juncture. The international community should find a viable way out of the current predicament. To this end, China proposes the following:

First, promote de-escalation as soon as possible. China calls on all relevant parties to exercise restraint and avoid further provocations that could lead to the expansion and escalation of hostilities. We encourage both parties to the Yemeni conflict to communicate through the UN Military Coordination Committee mechanism to avoid miscalculations. We support regional countries in using their special influence to promote peace talks and push for de-escalation.

Second, early return to the track of political solution. The escalation of the current round of conflict is not inevitable. Resorting to force is not the right approach. Political settlement is the long-term solution. The sooner negotiations begin, the sooner peace may arrive. China supports parties to the conflict in working out their differences through communication and dialogue so as to create necessary conditions for relaunching negotiations. The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen has an important mission of good offices and mediation. China calls on all parties to support the Special Envoy in fulfilling his mandate and playing his due role. The international community widely recognizes the legitimate government of Yemen, and the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Yemen and Saudi Arabia must be respected.

Third, firm adherence to fundamental principles of international law. No conflict should come at the expense of the lives and property of innocent civilians. China condemns all indiscriminate attacks on civilians and non-military targets. Attacks on airports and energy infrastructure vital to civilian livelihoods are unacceptable. We urge relevant parties to abide by international humanitarian law, take necessary measures to prevent attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. All parties have an obligation to respect the navigation rights of commercial and merchant vessels from all countries under international law. We also urge the international community to continue providing emergency humanitarian assistance to Yemen to address the worsening humanitarian situation caused by the conflict.

President,

The Yemeni issue has dragged on for over a decade now. It is closely linked to other issues in the region. To thoroughly resolve the conflict in Yemen, it must be considered within the broader context of the overall situation in the Middle East. The conflict within Yemen, maritime navigation safety, and Yemen's relations with regional countries are the three key aspects of the Yemeni issue. They are interrelated and affect one another. They must be considered holistically and addressed in a coordinated manner.

Not long ago, President Xi Jinping put forward a four-point initiative to promote common security in the Middle East. He called for advancing comprehensive governance of regional common security and supported regional countries in exploring ways to build a new security architecture for the Middle East, thereby providing new ideas for addressing regional hotspot issues, including the Yemeni issue. China will continue to engage and communicate with all relevant parties, promote peace talks in our own way, and play a constructive role in advancing a political solution to the Yemeni issue and restoring lasting peace in the region.

Thank you, President.