China calls for efforts to seek political solutions to armed conflicts

UNITED NATIONS - China on Saturday called on the international community to seek political solutions to incessant conflicts across the world.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the call in his speech to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on the fourth day of its annual general debate.

"As we have seen in Gaza, Iraq, the Central African Republic and South Sudan, our world is far from peaceful," Wang told the assembly.

"In the face of incessant conflicts, we must ask ourselves, 'How can we open the door to lasting peace? '" he said.

To address these problems, China believes that the international community should first seek political solutions, Wang stressed.

"To beat swords into ploughshares may take time and effort; but history and reality have repeatedly demonstrated that to meet violence with violence will not lead to enduring peace, and the use of force will create more problems than solutions," he said.

Wang underlined that coercive action should have the authorization of the Security Council.

If a country places its domestic law above international law and interferes in other countries' internal affairs at will or even seeks regime change, the legitimacy of its action cannot but be questioned by the international community, he added.

At the same time, Wang noted, the interests of all parties to a conflict should be accommodated.

"Parties to a conflict should reject the zero-sum approach, address each other's concerns in negotiations and endeavor to meet each other half way," he said. "They should seek to meet their legitimate concerns through consultation in a mutually accommodating way."

When conducting mediation, according to him, the international community should uphold justice and take an objective and balanced position.

"Countries should not be partial to any party in the conflict. Still less should they pursue their own agenda through their involvement," he added.

The senior Chinese official also called on the international community to promote national reconciliation in conflict-hit countries.

Noting that the ongoing armed conflicts are largely caused by ethnic and sectarian tensions, Wang said the process of national reconciliation and the process of political settlement should be advanced in tandem with each other.

"All parties should uphold the UN Charter, develop and practice a culture of inclusion and tolerance, and uproot the seed of hatred and retaliation, so that the fruit of inclusion and amity will grow on the post-conflict land," he said.

The foreign minister went on to stress that multilateralism should be upheld in addressing armed conflicts, adding the international community should give full play to the role of the United Nations and observe international law and the basic norms governing international relations.

"Chapter Seven of the UN Charter is not the only means for the Security Council to maintain international peace and security," Wang said. "We should make better and full use of the means of prevention, mediation and conciliation stipulated in Chapter Six."

In addition, he said, "we should leverage the strengths of regional organizations and countries and support them in addressing regional issues in ways suited to their region."