Chinese envoy urges efforts to better protect civilians

A Chinese envoy said on Tuesday that the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces alone cannot provide a fundamental solution to the problem of civilian protection, calling for more efforts including preventative diplomacy to better protect civilians in armed conflicts.

The statement came as Wang Min, the deputy Chinese permanent representative to the UN, was taking the floor at an open Security Council debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts.

China supports the Council in its efforts to strengthen the civilian protection in armed conflicts, he said, voicing his deep concerns with the fact that civilians are the most vulnerable group in wars and armed conflicts.

However, "we should realize that relying solely on the deployment of UN peacekeeping operations cannot fundamentally address the issue of the protection of civilians," Wang told the 15-nation body.

"In order to fundamentally address the objective of the protection of civilians, more must be done in the areas of preventing and controlling conflicts," he said.

At the same time, Wang noted, efforts should be made to put the protection of civilians in armed conflicts into the overall framework of peaceful settlement of conflicts.

According to the Chinese envoy, the Security Council should as a priority urge the parties concerned to cease hostilities and achieve a ceasefire.

He stressed that only by actively promoting a political solution by peaceful means through dialogue and negotiation can civilian casualties be minimized.

"Military means, more often than not, result in bigger crises, more bloodshed and more civilian causalities," Wang said.

The ambassador also underlined that actions to protect civilians must comply with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, especially the principle of respecting the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of countries.

The Security Council mandates should not be arbitrarily interpreted in the name of protecting civilians, nor should they be exploited as pretext for "regime change", Wang said.

In addition, he said that UN peacekeeping operations must continue to abide by the principles of objectivity and neutrality and avoid taking sides in local political disputes or even becoming a party to the conflict.