Remarks by Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of China’s Permanent Mission to the UN Ambassador Sun Lei at the UN Security Council Emergency Briefing on Yemen

President,  

I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari for his briefing. I have also listened carefully to the Permanent Representative of Yemen's presentation of the situation. I welcome the Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to today's meeting.

Just last Thursday, the Security Council held an emergency briefing on the situation in Yemen. In the mere five days since then, further major changes have taken place in Yemen, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the surrounding region. Large-scale fighting between the Government of Yemen and the Houthis continues. De facto control over strategic islands in the Bab al-Mandab Strait has shifted, and an important oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia has come under drone attack. The conflict and tensions continue to intensify. As a result of changes in the situation on the ground, the number of merchant vessels transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait has fallen sharply in recent days, and concerns in the international community over risks to navigational safety and security in the Strait have risen rapidly.

China is closely following developments in Yemen and the surrounding region and is deeply concerned about the rapid and continuing escalation of the conflict. China has consistently supported safeguarding the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Yemen and Saudi Arabia. We firmly oppose attacks on civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, in armed conflict, and stress that the red line of protecting civilians and civilian facilities must never be crossed under any circumstances. The waters of the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait are important international shipping routes for goods and energy. Maintaining normal shipping operations in these waters is the common responsibility of all parties. China firmly opposes any attacks on civilian vessels. The navigational rights of commercial and merchant vessels of all countries in the Red Sea waters in accordance with international law must be respected by all parties.

The situation in Yemen is now on the dangerous brink of a comprehensive escalation. The fundamental solution to the risks of navigational safety and security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait is to put an end to the armed conflict on land and achieve lasting peace. No matter how great the differences may be, solutions should be sought at the negotiating table rather than through military confrontation. The most urgent task is for all parties to remain calm and exercise restraint, immediately cease fire and end the fighting, refrain from actions that would exacerbate tensions, and return to the right track of diplomatic negotiations as soon as possible. Gulf countries have unique advantages and a successful track record in mediating a settlement of the Yemen issue. We support them in playing a greater role in mediating the current conflict.

President,

This round of escalation in Yemen and the surrounding region has occurred against the backdrop of growing instability in the Middle East as a whole. China supports regional countries in developing good-neighborly and friendly relations, upholding the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, strengthening dialogue on peace and security, discussing the reshaping of the security architecture in the region, advancing the comprehensive governance of regional common security, and jointly building a new security architecture for the Middle East. China stands ready to work with all parties and make unremitting efforts to safeguard the security of international shipping routes, bring an end to the fighting in the Middle East, and restore security and stability to the region.

Thank you, President.