10 February 2025
I thank Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov and Executive Director Natalia Gherman for their briefings. China commends UNOCT and CTED for having done a great deal of work to promote international counter-terrorism cooperation.
At present, terrorism is on the rise, and its threats to the international community remain complex and grave. The Security Council should continue to prioritize counter-terrorism on its agenda, insist on zero tolerance for terrorism, oppose double standards and selective counter-terrorism, and strengthen international counter-terrorism cooperation. We support the 1267 Committee’s Monitoring Team in continuing to monitor and analyze the global terrorism situation, with a view to informing the work of the Security Council and member states. I would like to make three points.
First, the Secretary-General’s report points out that by exploiting the recent sudden change of the situation in Syria, terrorist organizations may seek to strengthen their position, and that the stockpiles of weapons may fall into the hands of terrorists. The international community should keep a close eye on this. The recent granting of senior positions to foreign terrorist fighters in Syria, including the head of the Security Council-listed terrorist organization, the Turkistan Islamic Party, also known as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, is a cause of grave concerns for China. We urge the Syrian authorities to fulfill their counter-terrorism obligations and to prevent any terrorists from using Syrian territory to threaten the security of other countries. A large number of FTFs have been staying in Syria for a long time, posing a serious security risk. China supports an accelerated repatriation process and calls on the countries concerned to take them back.
Second, terrorist organizations such as Daesh, Al Qaeda, and the ETIM are currently very active in Afghanistan, and they are colluding with each other. They not only undermine the security situation in Afghanistan, but also pose a threat to regional and international peace and security. China calls on the Afghan interim government to take visible and verifiable actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist groups based in Afghanistan. China supports the countries in Central Asia and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in strengthening cooperation with Afghanistan, jointly addressing the security challenges posed by terrorism, helping Afghanistan integrate into regional economic cooperation, and eliminating the breeding ground for terrorism.
Third, Africa is becoming a new frontier of international counter-terrorism. A devastating terrorist attack last month in Benin claimed the lives of at least 28 people. Terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso have deprived some 4 million people of access to healthcare. Inadequate counter-terrorism capacity is a challenge for many African countries. The international community should increase its support in terms of funding, equipment, intelligence, human resources, and logistical supplies, and the UN and its partners should strengthen their cooperation with the African Union and other regional organizations, all in an effort to support Africa in strengthening its counter-terrorism capacity-building and institutional-building.
China has always been a supporter of and contributor to international counter-terrorism cooperation, and has long been helping developing countries, especially African countries, strengthen their counter-terrorism capacity through bilateral and multilateral channels. China has also been supporting UNOCT and CTED counter-terrorism projects through the China-UN Peace and Development Trust Fund. We will continue to work hand in hand with all parties to combat terrorism in all its forms and contribute to the realization of a world that enjoys lasting peace and universal security.