Chinese envoy urges efforts to better protect civilians in armed conflicts

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy said on Tuesday that the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces alone cannot provide a fundamental solution to the problem of civilian protection, calling for more efforts including preventative diplomacy to better protect civilians in armed conflicts.

The statement came as Wang Min, the deputy Chinese permanent representative to the UN, was taking the floor at an open Security Council debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts.

China supports the Council in its efforts to strengthen the civilian protection in armed conflicts, he said, voicing his deep concerns with the fact that civilians are the most vulnerable group in wars and armed conflicts.

However, "we should realize that relying solely on the deployment of UN peacekeeping operations cannot fundamentally address the issue of the protection of civilians," Wang told the 15-nation body.

"In order to fundamentally address the objective of the protection of civilians, more must be done in the areas of preventing and controlling conflicts," he said.

At the same time, Wang noted, efforts should be made to put the protection of civilians in armed conflicts into the overall framework of peaceful settlement of conflicts.

We Recommend:
How will John Kerry deal with China?	China urges respect for its territorial sovereignty	Japanese PM reiterates to mend ties with China
US looking for excuses for 'cyber army' expansion	Sino-Japan ties not easy to improve	Driving forces behind 'Chinese dream'