Mr. President,

China supports the holding of this high-level Security Council meeting on counter piracy off the coast of Somalia. This meeting and the resolution just adopted once again fully demonstrate the commitment and confidence of the international community to come together and fight against piracy. The signal sent by the Security Council is positive, right and timely.

Mr. President,

Piracy off the coast of Somalia has become increasingly rampant and is now an international menace posing a grave threat to international shipping, maritime trade and security at sea. China is also one of its victims. This year alone, a total of six vessels registered in or rented by China have been hijacked in the waters off the Somali coast. One vessel and 17 Chinese nationals have remained in captivity till today. This has aroused utmost concern from the Chinese Government and the general public.

The long-term delay in settlement of the Somali issue is posing a serious threat to international peace and security, while the rampant piracy problem off the Somali coast has worsened the security situation in Somalia. In fulfilling its primary responsibility of upholding world peace and security, the Security Council has so far this year adopted three resolutions on this issue. China welcomes international cooperation in the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia and supports the efforts of relevant countries to send warships to the region to crack down on pirates pursuant to Security Council resolutions. China is seriously considering sending naval ships to the Gulf of Aden and waters off the Somali coast for escorting operations in the near future.

Mr. President,

To step up the fight against piracy off the Somali coast, the Chinese side wishes to make the following proposals:

First, give full play to the important role of the United Nations. Since fighting piracy in that region involves many different parties, the problem can only be resolved with concerted efforts from all. It is therefore crucial to allow the United Nations, especially its Security Council, to play its core role of maintaining world peace and security and effectively coordinate responses and actions.

Second, strictly abide by international law and Security Council resolutions. This is an important prerequisite for there to be extensive support from the people of Somalia and the rest of the international community for relevant anti-piracy actions. The international community should cooperate on the basis of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Security Council resolutions. All anti-piracy operations should be conducted in full compliance with the mandate of Security Council resolutions, and particularly with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of littoral countries and prior consent from the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. .

Third, formulate an integrated strategy. Fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia is a comprehensive and systematic project as it involves efforts in the political, military, economic, diplomatic and judicial fields. Concerted efforts must be made on different tracks in order to achieve tangible results. In addition, priorities for different phases must be identified and redefined in light of the evolving situation.

Fourth, help Somalia strengthen its own capacity building and carry out regional cooperation. The key to solving the issue of piracy lies with the government and people of Somalia. The international community should help the Somali Government to improve its capacity building through various channels. Useful practices in the past have proven that regional cooperation can play an important role. China welcomes concerted efforts to be made by the littoral countries of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Western Indian Ocean to tackle the issue of piracy off the coast of Somalia through regional arrangements.

Mr. President,

Piracy off the coast of Somalia is not an isolated case. The surge of piracy is just a symptom of the profound political, economic, social and humanitarian crises that Somalia faces. The international community should take the fight against piracy seriously. But what is even more important is to remove the root causes of piracy. We call on all parties concerned to further advance the Somali political process and promote the implementation of the Djibouti Agreement in good faith. The Security Council should heed the strong desire of the Somali Government and the African Union, reinforce the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and mandate the United Nations to take over peacekeeping operations in Somalia at an early date. In the meantime, the international community should work to prevent the humanitarian situation in Somalia from further deteriorating. It should also increase assistance to Somalia in infrastructure development and development projects so as to help it regain its “blood-generating” function. China will continue to make its contribution in this regard.

Thank you, Mr. President.