China calls on the international community to act with a greater sense of urgency and take stronger measures to protect civilians in armed conflicts, a Chinese envoy said on Thursday.
Speaking at a United Nations Security Council high-level open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sun Lei, stated that behind the statistics of civilian suffering are countless individuals caught in the flames of war, hanging by a thread between life and death, and countless families torn apart and separated from their loved ones.
Sun said efforts must be made to eliminate armed conflicts, strictly abide by international humanitarian law, enhance the governance capacity of countries involved in conflicts, and strengthen international humanitarian assistance.
As long as conflicts persist, the fundamental safety of civilians cannot be guaranteed, he said.
He stressed that the Security Council bears the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security and should remain committed to promoting the cessation of conflicts so that civilians are protected from the threat of war.
Sun also underscored the critical importance of upholding international humanitarian law.
"Civilians and civilian facilities must not be made targets of military operations. The safety of UN personnel and humanitarian workers must be guaranteed. Humanitarian aid must not be politicized. Basic necessities, such as food and medicine, must not be weaponized. These universally recognized basic principles of international humanitarian law have been repeatedly breached and violated in conflicts. Adhering to humanitarian law is an obligation that all parties must fulfill, not an optional choice. Any double standards or selective application will erode the foundation of the international rule of law and encourage further violations," he said.
Sun said that national governments bear the primary responsibility for protecting civilians, and the international community should provide targeted assistance to help conflict-affected countries enhance their capacity to do so.
Poverty and underdevelopment are the root causes of conflict and major obstacles to its resolution, he said, calling on the international community to increase support for the development of these countries and to help them build sustainable capacities. This, he noted, is essential to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty and gradually eliminating the breeding grounds of conflict and violence.
Sun said that China attaches great importance to the protection of civilians, consistently promotes the political resolution of hotspot issues, and actively participates in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
He added that China works to help relevant developing countries improve their national governance capacity within the framework of South-South cooperation.
Sun stressed that China is willing to continue working with the international community to eliminate conflicts at an early stage and to promote shared peace and stability.
China urges immediate, stronger actions to protect civilians amid conflicts
