China Pushes for Child Protection at UN Security Council

Beijing, October 27: China has placed the protection of children at the centre of its message at a United Nations Security Council open debate on children and armed conflict. The meeting took place on Monday.

China's UN envoy, Fu Cong, argued that ending conflict and violence as soon as possible is the most straightforward and effective route to protecting children. He pressed every party to the fighting to respect the UN Charter, stop hostile operations and honour their legal obligations under international law.

According to Fu Cong, schools, children and other civilian locations should never be targeted. He called for a shared, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security vision. He added that disputes should be handled through talks and consultations, alongside sustained efforts to reach political settlements to major problems.

He underlined the need to step up humanitarian aid and ensure that relief reaches areas hit by conflict more easily. Children, he said, must get timely assistance and psychological care so that they can recover from the fear and stress caused by violence.

Fu Cong described how children in the occupied Palestinian territories and in Haiti have endured long periods of conflict and violence. This, he said, keeps their lives and safety under serious threat. He stated that China supports the Security Council taking necessary measures to prevent crimes against children and to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

He further noted that China wants to deepen cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union. China will continue to help conflict-affected nations strengthen their child protection capabilities and, within its means, provide assistance to Africa and other developing countries.

Fu Cong closed by saying China will cooperate with the international community to curb violence, expand humanitarian aid and reinforce relief operations. The objective, he said, is to let children everywhere grow up healthily in peaceful and stable conditions and advance toward a better future.