China's emphasis on international law and its calls for peaceful crisis resolution provide crucial support for humanitarian efforts to reduce civilian harm, said Patrick Youssef, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) regional head for East Asia.
Speaking in Xiong'an New Area in north China's Hebei Province on Friday, Youssef highlighted China's role in supporting global humanitarian standards.
Youssef hailed the four major global initiatives proposed by China: the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, during an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on the sidelines of the 2026 Global Governance Forum (Xiong'an), which ran from Friday to Sunday.
"We really value the importance that China has put on international law in its four initiatives. We really also value the voice of China on these files globally and internationally presented by President Xi Jinping in every aspect. And therefore working with a state like China gives us indeed an impetus, a drive, an empowerment to help other states, but also parties to the conflict minimize civilian harm simply by respecting the rule of war," he said.
Youssef stressed that law's strength depends on the will of leaders to implement it, calling on all countries to respect the international law.
"The law is as strong as the leader wants to implement it, as the leadership of every state, the army, but also the political establishments decide to implement. It's a decision away. When a hospital is attacked, meaning a violation of the law occurs, people do not get the medical treatment they deserve during armed conflict. The common denominator of all the states today should be about elevating the respect of the law and making it a political priority," he said.
The official spoke highly of China's role in humanitarian affairs, mentioning the Chinese hospital ship Peace Ark, which has provided free medical services and humanitarian services to local people in Djibouti and many other countries.
"China has been calling for deconfliction, for conflict prevention. It has been calling for peaceful resolution of crisis, but also the respect of international humanitarian law. And I think that is extremely welcome in a world where international law is being violated every day and where the political commitments are simply not there. And I look at the medical ship that is run by China out of Djibouti, supporting medical services. I wish, in fact, we can do way more in places where there are no one going to the field," Youssef said.
The humanitarian endeavors of China in many ways have supported the work of the ICRC, he added.
ICRC regional head hails China’s global initiatives for supporting humanitarian law
ICRC regional head hails China’s global initiatives for supporting humanitarian law
