President,

I thank Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and Director Ramesh Rajasingham for their briefings, and welcome the presence of the representatives of Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE at today's meeting.

For some time now, the situation in Yemen has been volatile, with the peace process deadlocked, armed conflict persisting, and the humanitarian situation deteriorating rapidly. Recent developments in southern Yemen have captured global attention. China hopes that in the new year, the international community will work together to advance progress on the Yemeni issue, help Yemen end the conflict and restore stability, and bring hope of peace to the Yemeni people. I wish to share three expectations.

First, advancing the political dialogue to achieve tangible results. The legitimate government of Yemen is widely recognized by the international community. China supports efforts to uphold Yemen's sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. We welcome the the dialogue to be held in Riyadh among Yemen’s southern factions and call on parties to resolve differences and disputes through political dialogue, and create conditions for restoring peace and tranquility in Yemen at an early date. We welcome the the detainees release agreement reached between the legitimate government of Yemen and the Houthis, which is an important step in rebuilding trust. China supports Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other regional countries and the international community in playing a constructive role in the political settlement of the Yemeni issue.

Second, achieving positive results in maintaining security and stability. The protracted situation in Yemen has long demonstrated that military means cannot achieve the desired objectives, and armed conflict only inflicts further harm. We call on all parties in Yemen to prioritize the interests of the Yemeni people, exercise maximum calm and restraint, avoid triggering new conflicts, and take steady steps towards establishing a nationwide ceasefire. China notes the Secretary-General’s reports indicating that since last October, the Houthis has ceased attacks on commercial vessels. We urge the Houthis to respect the right of commercial vessels from all countries to navigate the Red Sea in accordance with international law and to maintain the safety of shipping lanes. Relevant parties should respect Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity and cease attacks on Yemen.

Third, improving the humanitarian situation markedly. We call on the international community to provide more assistance to Yemen, ensure adequate resources for the UN's humanitarian operations in Yemen, and help alleviate the food crisis there. All parties should comply with international humanitarian law, protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and ensure that UN agencies in particular are not targeted. China, once again, calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained UN personnel, stressing that such detention is unacceptable. 

President,

The situation in the Red Sea highlights the spillover effects of the Gaza conflict. Without a genuine, comprehensive, and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, stability in the Red Sea cannot be fully restored. Although the first-phase Gaza ceasefire agreement has been reached, the prospect of peace remains elusive. We urge the full implementation of the first-phase Gaza ceasefire, the cessation of all violations of the ceasefire, and full humanitarian access. We call on the international community to expedite the implementation of the two-State solution and promote a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the Palestinian question. China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting a political solution to the Yemeni issue and restoring peace and stability in the Middle East.

Thank you, President.