Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, on Friday pointed out that the overall situation must be taken into consideration to properly resolve the Yemen conflict.
In remarks at the Security Council briefing on Yemen, Fu said since early September the ground situation in Yemen has undergone major changes, with spillover effects spreading more rapidly to the Bab al-Mandab Strait and countries in the region.
The situation in Yemen has reached a critical moment, said Fu, adding that the international community needs to find a viable way out of the current conflict.
He called for de-escalation and more efforts to return to the track of political settlement.
China urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid actions that could further escalate the situation or trigger wider fighting, Fu said.
"The Yemeni issue has dragged on for over a decade. It is closely linked to other problems in the region. To thoroughly resolve the conflict, it must be considered within the broader context of the overall situation in the Middle East. Yemen's internal conflict, maritime navigation security, and relations between Yemen and countries in the region are the three key aspects of the Yemen issue. These three aspects are mutually interconnected and interacted, and must be addressed comprehensively in an integrated manner," said Fu.
Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of the north. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, now based in the southern port city of Aden.
The renewed fighting marked a major escalation after a UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted major hostilities.
China urges addressing Yemen conflict within broader Middle East context
