President,

I thank Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya for their briefings. I welcome the Permanent Representative of Yemen to today’s meeting. I would like to make a few remarks. 

First, for some time, the Houthis and Israel have been attacking each other, airports and port facilities have been damaged, and tensions have continued to rise. China expresses its concerns and calls on all relevant parties to exercise calm and restraint and avoid taking actions that would escalate tensions. The navigation safety in the Red Sea should be maintained, and Yemen’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity should be respected. 

Second, we must remain committed to advancing a political solution to the Yemeni issue through dialogue and negotiation. Recently, the two parties to the conflict announced the reopening of certain roads, a step that China welcomes. We hope that both sides will build on this positive momentum, move towards each other, enhance communication, rebuild trust, and make further progress in areas such as a nationwide ceasefire and economic recovery. These efforts are essential for creating favorable conditions to advance a comprehensive Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned political process. China supports the mediation efforts by Special Envoy Grundberg and looks forward to greater contributions from regional countries in this process. 

Third, last week, the Security Council issued a press statement marking a year after the detention of the relevant personnel by the Houthis. China encourages all parties to intensify engagement and work towards the prompt release of all detained personnel. According to a World Bank report, Yemen’s humanitarian situation remains dire, and its economy is projected to contract further this year. We call on the international community, particularly traditional donors, to scale up both humanitarian and development assistance to Yemen and to provide adequate financial support for UN operations in the country. 

Fourth, resolving the issues in Yemen and the Red Sea requires the joint efforts of all relevant parties and a favorable regional environment. The Gaza conflict has persisted for over 600 days, claiming the lives of over 55,000 Palestinians and plunging over 2 million Gazan residents into an unprecedented humanitarian disaster. The international community should prioritize ending the Gaza conflict and alleviating the humanitarian crisis, while working to deescalate regional tensions. We stand ready to work with the international community to continue our unremitting efforts towards this end. 

President, 

The US representative just now made ridiculous accusations against China in her statement. The accused Chinese company has made a public statement stating that the accusation by the United States is a malicious slandering, and that the company has no business connections with either Iran or the Houthis. 

President,

Just as many countries, including China, have pointed out, the current tension in the Red Sea has a close connection to the Gaza conflict. Without a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the turbulence in the Red Sea would not stop. It is the US that has been standing on the opposite side of the international community, abusing its veto power seven times at the Council, and obstructing the Council’s efforts to stop the conflict in Gaza and save the Gazan people from their dire situation. The US has no right to point fingers at others. 

This afternoon, the General Assembly will convene an emergency special session on the Palestinian question, and will vote on a draft resolution. Let’s see what the United States will do this afternoon. Let’s see if they are really constructive and responsible, as they claim, on this issue.

Thank you, President.