Remarks on Syria by Ambassador Fu Cong at the UN Security Council Briefing

President,

I welcome you, Ambassador Thomas Barrack, presiding over today's meeting. I thank Deputy Special Envoy Claudio Cordone and Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya for their briefings. I welcome the presence of the representatives of Syria, Türkiye, and Algeria at today's meeting. I have also listened attentively to Ms. Yusra Mardini's statement. Deputy Special Envoy Cordone recently visited Syria and engaged with the Syrian transitional government. China appreciates his efforts and supports the Office of the Special Envoy in fulfilling its mandate. I would like to make three points. 

First, it is important to promote a broad and inclusive process of political transition. The past month witnessed positive developments in Syria and the easing of the situation in the country's northeast. China has taken note of the various measures adopted by the Syrian transitional government to implement the comprehensive integration agreement. China has also taken note of the fact that the Syrian National Investigation Committee has submitted its report on the violence in Suwayda to the Ministry of Justice. The Syria question must ultimately be resolved through political means. China supports the principle of a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned process, and encourages all Syrian parties to engage in inclusive dialogue and promote political reconciliation in order to end the conflict and restore peace and stability at an early date. The Office of the Special Envoy can play a special role in Syria's political transition process, and therefore should relocate to Damascus as soon as possible. 

Second, it is imperative to combat terrorism with zero tolerance and effectively maintain security. Terrorism poses a grave threat to regional peace and security. Recently, Syria was rocked by a spate of terrorist attacks. There remain real risks of terrorists escaping detention centers amid the chaos, and foreign terrorist fighters are still active in the country. The major shifts in the regional landscape could potentially be exploited by terrorist elements based in Syria for their expansion. China firmly opposes terrorism in all its forms and rejects any double standards in counter-terrorism efforts. We call on the Syrian transitional government to fulfill its international obligations and take all effective measures to resolutely combat all international terrorist organizations designated by the Security Council, including the ETIM. 

Third, it is crucial to uphold a people-centered approach and alleviate the country's humanitarian plight. The humanitarian situation in Syria remains dire. 16.5 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, and 7.1 million people face food insecurity. Aid efforts struggle to keep up with the actual needs. China calls on traditional donors to scale up their humanitarian assistance to Syria and redouble their efforts to address the humanitarian crisis. In light of the persistent challenges confronting the Syrian economy, relevant countries should take further measures to completely roll back the negative impact of unilateral sanctions and clear the obstacles holding back Syria's economic recovery. 

President, 

Our discussion of the situation in Syria cannot be detached from the broader regional context. The entire Middle East is being plunged into a dangerous precipice, and China is deeply concerned about this. Any further protraction of hostilities will only inflict even more suffering upon the local population and impinge heavily on the regional and global economies. China calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities to prevent the conflict from spreading further, and urges a swift return to dialogue and negotiations. China stays committed to playing a constructive role in the pursuit of peace. 

Thank you, President.