China backs UN's leading role in anti-terror effort

China on Wednesday voiced strong support for the UN's leading role in the global anti-terror effort after the Security Council adopted a resolution to address the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters.

Unanimously approved by the 15-nation body at a special session of the Council, the document urges all member states to "cooperate in efforts to address the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters, including by preventing the radicalization to terrorism and recruitment of foreign terrorist fighters."

The resolution highlighted the obligation that member states shall prevent the entry into or transit through their territories of any suspected terrorists.

CHINA BACKS UN'S LEADING ROLE

While expressing China's welcome to the resolution, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday at the summit that the United Nations and its Security Council should play a leading role in the global war on terrorism.

"First, we must ensure sound coordination," he stressed.

"The United Nations and its Security Council have to play a leading role in the global war on terrorism," he said. "This is the only way to maintain unity, achieve effective coordination and take concerted actions."

Secondly, Wang noted, the international community should adopt a multi-pronged approach.

"The global war on terrorism should be fought with an integrated approach that includes measures taken in the political, security, economic, financial, intelligence and ideological fields with a view to addressing both the symptoms and root causes of terrorism, especially removing its root causes and breeding ground," he said, adding that military actions should comply with the UN Charter and the relevant Security Council resolutions.

The Chinese foreign minister also stressed that the international community must follow a consistent standard in the global war on terrorism.

"Any act of terrorism, in whatever form, whenever and wherever it is committed, and whomever or whatever it is targeted against, must be fought resolutely," Wang said. "No double standards should be adopted, still less should terrorism be identified with any particular ethnic group or religion."

Wang also called on the international community to come up with "new thinking and new steps" in its response to terrorism.

"First, we should step up information gathering and sharing," he said. "Full scope should be given to the advantages of the United Nations and relevant international institutions on such matters as establishing a counter-terrorism database and information exchange platform, so as to step up sharing of information resources and intelligence analysis."

Wang noted that counter-terrorism on the Internet should also be strengthened, calling for resolute measures to stop the use of social media to spread extremist ideas, especially the releasing of audio and video materials of violence and terror.

OBMA CALLS FOR "CONCRETE ACTION"

Obama, who presided over Wednesday's meeting, urged all states to take "concrete actions" against terrorism after the resolution was adopted.

"Resolutions alone will not be enough," Obama said. "The words spoken here today must be matched and translated into action, into deeds -- concrete action."

"I'm here today to say that all of you who are committed to this urgent work will find a strong and steady partner in the United States of America," said Obama.

The resolution is also a part of Obama's push for international action to destroy the Islamic State (IS) extremists who have taken over large swaths of Iraq and Syria.

Preventing foreign fighters from reaching Syria and then slipping back across U.S. borders is a critical element of the strategy to "degrade and ultimately destroy" IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL, said Obama.

"The historic resolution that we just adopted enshrines our commitment to meet this challenge," he added.