Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (C) attends the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Conventions at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 23, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Fang)
"Today's world is still facing various humanitarian crises, we need to pass on the ideas of humanity, fraternity and dedication to send love and hope to the innocent people in deep trouble," Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday.
Attending the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Conventions at the UN Headquarters in New York, Wang said that 196 countries have acceded to the Geneva Conventions, conveying the belief that peace and tranquility are always the goal of mankind.
Even in the face of the most brutal circumstances, efforts must be made to adhere to the humane bottom line of respect for life, he said.
As one of the first countries to accede to the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, China has always taken an active part in international humanitarian responsibility and has helped more than 100 countries tide over humanitarian crises, Wang said.
"We maintain that humanitarian action should adhere to the principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence and avoid the politicization of humanitarian issues and militarization of humanitarian assistance," he added.
The United Nations should play a better role in mobilizing and coordinating international humanitarian assistance, said Wang, adding that effective conflict prevention and the peaceful settlement of disputes are the fundamental ways to solve international humanitarian problems.
