China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Fu Cong on Tuesday expressed support for the Syrian government as it combats terrorism and called on the international community to unswervingly uphold the direction of political settlement.
At a UN Security Council meeting on Syria, Fu said China supports the "Syria-led and Syria-owned" peace process that allows Syrian people to determine their country's future without external interference.
The persistent Syria crisis stems from a variety of factors, said Fu, adding that China has consistently held that political settlement is the only way out. He expressed hope the international community could earnestly respect Syria's sovereignty independence and territorial integrity.
Foreign troops must end their illegal presence in Syria and countries should immediately lift unilateral sanctions on Syria, said the representative.
"Here I would like to reiterate that terrorism is the common enemy of the international community. China supports Syria’s efforts in fighting terrorism, safeguarding national security and stability. The international community should stick to a unified standard with a zero-tolerance attitude, supporting and helping the Syrian government to eradicate threats posed by terrorism in its territory," said Fu.
The Chinese representative highlighted that attacks on Aleppo and Idlib by terrorist groups including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have destroyed the overall peaceful situation in recent years. China is deeply concerned that this new round of conflicts has brought new trouble, he said.
Fu also condemned occupation by armed "terrorist elements" in Iran's consulate general in northern Syria's Aleppo city.
During the meeting, representatives of Russia and the U.S. criticized each other for supporting terrorism.
Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said the U.S. has no courage to condemn terrorist attacks against civilians in Aleppo. He added he has no illusion about America combating terrorism.
U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood said the U.S. has been fighting against terrorism for decades and will continue its fight, adding that the Russian representative "is in no position to lecture us on this issue."
China calls for unwavering commitment to political settlement of Syria crisis
China calls for unwavering commitment to political settlement of Syria crisis
China calls for unwavering commitment to political settlement of Syria crisis
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that the key to preventing further escalation of the situation regarding Iran lies in the United States and Israel halting their military operations, adding that China does not approve of attacks on Gulf countries and condemns all attacks on civil facilities and innocent civilians.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a phone conversation with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
Dar briefed Wang on Pakistan's position on the current situation in Iran and called on all parties to exercise restraint and resolve the current crisis through peaceful negotiations.
Pakistan commends China's efforts to de-escalate the situation and is willing to enhance coordination and cooperation with China through platforms including the United Nations (UN) to jointly seek effective ways to achieve peace, Dar said.
For his part, Wang said that China and Pakistan, as all-weather strategic cooperative partners, have a fine tradition of communicating and coordinating on major international and regional issues.
Both sides had promptly stated their firm positions on the situation in Iran, demonstrating a responsible attitude and compliance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Wang said, adding that the war against Iran lacks legitimacy and legality, and prolonging it will only bring more senseless casualties.
China appreciates Pakistan's mediation efforts, and is willing to maintain close multilateral and bilateral coordination and cooperation with Pakistan, support its continued constructive role and jointly promote an early restoration of peace and stability in the region, said Wang.
The two sides also discussed recent border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Wang noted that China's special envoy on Afghan affairs is actively shuttling between the two countries to promote dialogue and reconciliation, and stressed that the urgent task is to prevent further escalation and return to negotiations as soon as possible.
China firmly supports Pakistan's fight against terrorism and hopes that Pakistan will continue to take all possible measures to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in the country, Wang added.
Dar thanked China for its mediation efforts, stressing that Pakistan attaches great importance to and will fully ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions.
U.S., Israel halting military operations key to preventing escalation: Chinese FM
