Chinese envoy urges parties concerned to avoid creating new tensions in Red Sea

UNITED NATIONS, June 27 (Xinhua) -- China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Geng Shuang, on Thursday called on all parties concerned to strictly abide by the UN Charter, and avoid misinterpreting and misusing international law and Security Council resolutions or creating new tensions in the Red Sea waters.

Since the end of last year, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea and nearby waters, disrupting the normal order of international trade and negatively affecting regional stability, Geng said in his explanation of vote on the UN Security Council draft resolution on the Red Sea situation. China abstained in the voting on the draft resolution.

"The Red Sea is an important transport corridor of goods and energy products," he said, stressing that China has on multiple occasions called on the Houthis to respect the right of navigation of merchant vessels in the Red Sea waters under international law, heed the call of the international community, and comply with relevant Security Council resolution by ceasing attacks on civilian vessels and ensuring the safety of the Red Sea shipping lanes.

Noting that in January this year, when the Security Council adopted Resolution 2722, China abstained in the voting, Geng said China's main concern was that the resolution's ambiguity on some key elements could have negative consequences and lead to further escalation of regional tensions.

"We observe that after the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2722, certain countries have taken military actions in Yemen, which have not only resulted in infrastructure damage and civilian casualties, but also heightened security risks in the Red Sea waters," he said.

According to Geng, Thursday's resolution was a technical rollover of Resolution 2722, and considering the continuity of its position and the development of the situation since January, China had to abstain in the voting once again.

The current tensions in the Red Sea are one of the spillover manifestations of the Gaza conflict, and an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza will help cool down the situation in Yemen and the Red Sea, he said.

China stands ready to continue to work with the Security Council and the international community to promote an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, search for a political solution to the Yemen issue, and work together for peace and stability in the Middle East, the envoy said.