President,

UNMISS has played a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability and advancing the political process in South Sudan. China has consistently and fully supported the work of UNMISS and its continued mandate renewal. Currently, South Sudan is at a critical stage in achieving peace and development. As a key supporting party, UNMISS's mandate and capabilities should be optimized and strengthened in light of the evolving situation. 

China participated in the consultations on the draft resolution on UNMISS mandate renewal with a constructive attitude, and together with other members of the Council, proposed a number of reasonable amendments. Regrettably, however, the draft resolution weakens the mandate to support the South Sudanese peace process and the implementation of the revitalized agreement, cuts the Mission's troop ceiling, and exerts excessive pressure on the Government. Given this, China was compelled to abstain from the vote. I would like to illustrate three points. 

First, the fundamental purpose of a peacekeeping operation is to serve the political process, create favorable conditions for a political settlement, and assist the host government in its capacity-building efforts. The South Sudanese Government has decided to hold general elections at the end of the year. The African Union and other regional organizations are actively mediating, calling on all parties to uphold and implement the revitalized agreement. The Security Council should align its efforts with Africa, support UNMISS in its effective good offices, and assist South Sudan in advancing every stage of its political transition, including the elections. 

Second, since the beginning of this year, the security situation in South Sudan has remained tense, with armed conflicts occurring intermittently, resulting in civilian casualties and displacement. The contingency drawdown has already affected the Mission's functions in protecting civilians and assisting humanitarian aid. Given the current strained resources for peacekeeping, the Security Council should optimize the mandate structure of UNMISS, refrain from further expanding non-core tasks, and guarantee the resources and capabilities required for the Mission's priority mandates. This will enable its rapid response and timely deployment to better safeguard the security and welfare of the South Sudanese people. 

Third, the South Sudanese Government has repeatedly expressed its willingness to strengthen cooperation with UNMISS. Through friendly consultations, they have reached appropriate solutions on issues such as contingency drawdown and the use of UN bases. The host country and the Mission are partners. The host country should facilitate the Mission's performance of its duties in accordance with the Status of Forces Agreement. As the other party to the agreement, the Mission must also respect the host country's sovereignty and ownership. When addressing issues related to cooperation between UNMISS and South Sudan, the Security Council should give full consideration to the legitimate concerns of the South Sudanese Government, and encourage and support both parties to work towards a common goal. Exerting unilateral excessive pressure will only be counterproductive. 

President, 

South Sudan is the world's youngest country. As a permanent member of the Security Council and a major troop-contributing country to UNMISS, China will continue to support UNMISS in fulfilling its mandate diligently. We stand ready to work more closely with other Council members to jointly support the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of South Sudan, and help it further advance stability and development. 

Thank you, President.