September 13, 2024
President,
I thank High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu for the briefing.
In the ongoing Ukraine crisis, there has been a steady influx of large quantities of weapons and ammunition into the battlefield with widening variety and scope, increasing lethality and anti-personnel effectiveness, and the mounting risk of diversion and proliferation. This is worrying. The continued inflow of weapons will only lead to escalated situation and the loss of more civilian lives. It will have an extensive negative impact on international and regional peace and security.
China is deeply concerned about the recent spiraling of the intensity of the war. the pressing priority of the moment, in our opinion, is to respect the principles of no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of the fighting, and no provocation by any party, with a view to swiftly deescalate the situation.
We call on the parties to the conflict to demonstrate their political will, meet each other halfway, put an early end to the hostilities, and relaunch peace talks. We call on the international community to pave the way to this end by providing tangible assistance and facilitation. All parties concerned should put peace and humanity first and re-channel their resources and energy to ending hostilities through diplomacy.
President,
The US Representative spread a false narrative in his earlier statement, distorting and vilifying China’s position on the Ukraine issue once again, and I feel compelled to respond.
China did not create the Ukraine crisis, much less are we a party to the conflict. China has not supplied weapons to either party, and we have consistent and rigorous controls over dual-use items. We maintain normal trade and economic cooperation with all countries around the world, including Russia and Ukraine.
China’s position on the Ukraine issue is objective and impartial. We do not support anyone, nor do we favor anyone. After the war erupted, we put forward the principle preposition of four “should”s, the first of which is that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, and the second of which is that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be respected. For over two years, China has been working hard to promote peace and encourage and facilitate peace talks. We have stayed engaged with both Russia and Ukraine, and have had regular exchanges of views with European countries and the United States. The Special Representative on Eurasian Affairs made four visits to the countries concerned to conduct good offices and mediation. We have done so for the sole purpose of bringing about an early end to the hostilities and restore peace.
In May this year, China and Brazil jointly issued a six-point consensus on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. It reflects the greatest common denominator of the international community’s efforts to resolve the crisis, which has received positive responses from many countries. In addition to the six-point consensus proposed by China and Brazil, African countries have also contributed a 10-point peace proposal for resolving the crisis. Other countries of the Global South have also put forward similar initiatives. This fully demonstrates that diplomatic negotiations and a political settlement meet the common expectations of the majority of countries and represent the will of the international community. We hope that the United States will not continue to turn a deaf ear to these calls for peace, that it will desist from discrediting and obstructing the diplomatic efforts of China and other countries concerned, undermining international solidarity, creating division and antagonism, and provoking bloc confrontations, and that it will truly play a constructive role in bringing an early end to the war and achieving peace.
Thank you, President.