A deputy permanent representative for China to the UN on Wednesday called for concerted global efforts to combat terrorism, warning that increasingly complex terrorist threats pose severe challenges.
Representative Sun Lei told the Security Council that the international community should uphold a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and maintain zero tolerance toward terrorism,
UN officials responsible for counter-terrorism briefed the Council, warning that over the past six months the Islamic State (IS), an extremist group, has continued to carry out and incite terrorist attacks in multiple parts of the world. The affected areas range from Syria and Iraq to the Sahel region, the Lake Chad Basin, East Africa, and even Australia.
The officials noted that the impact of these activities has been severe, with the threat continuing to rise and becoming increasingly multi-layered and complex.
Sun said that global terrorist threats are growing more complex, with major attacks occurring with some regularity and terrorist organizations constantly upgrading their technical capabilities.
He emphasized that the international community should uphold a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept, maintain zero tolerance toward terrorism, and firmly oppose selective counter-terrorism measures and double standards.
Sun called for enhanced unity and cooperation to form a strong international counter-terrorism force, adding that China is willing to continue working with all parties to resolutely combat all forms of terrorism.
He also stressed that terrorist forces operating in Afghanistan must receive serious attention from the international community.
"The terrorist threat in Afghanistan must be taken seriously. At present, terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) continue to operate on Afghan soil, posing persistent threats to the security of Afghanistan and its neighbors. China calls on the Afghan interim government to attach great importance to the counter terrorism situation in the country, to take concrete and effective measures and to resolutely combat and eliminate the terrorist forces entrenched in Afghanistan so as to prevent the country from once again becoming a hub for terrorists," said Sun.
The Chinese representative further noted that counter-terrorism efforts in Syria remain an arduous task. Terrorist organizations such as IS and the ETIM have taken advantage of the chaos in Syria to expand their influence, recruit members and carry out frequent attacks, posing a grave threat to regional security.
China urges Syria's transitional government to earnestly fulfill their counter-terrorism obligations, Sun added.
China calls for concerted int'l efforts to fight terrorism
