UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- International counter-terrorism efforts should follow the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and should address the root causes of terrorism, said a Chinese envoy on Monday.

International counter-terrorism cooperation should follow the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and continue to leverage the central coordinating role of the United Nations and the Security Council with unified standards, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

In fighting terrorism, there is a need to respect the primary responsibility of member states and the sovereignty of the countries concerned, he told a virtual meeting of the Security Council on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

He also called for the comprehensive implementation of relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. "During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to further promote multilateralism and strengthen international cooperation in a joint effort to fight terrorism."

Geng asked for integrated policies to address the root causes as well as the symptoms of terrorism to eradicate its breeding grounds.

The international community should push for political settlement of hot-spot issues, resolve differences peacefully, assist UN member states in poverty reduction and eradication and sustainable development, and encourage dialogue among civilizations and religions, he said.

He called for support for an important role by regional organizations such as the African Union. Assistance should be given to developing countries, especially African countries, to help build capacity for counter-terrorism and de-radicalization, he said.

There is an urgent need for the international community to strengthen cooperation in fighting and overcoming COVID-19 and reduce its impact on terrorist threats, said Geng.

It is important to enhance international judicial cooperation and adapt to the new trends and features of terrorism, he said.

"We should focus on the key issues, such as foreign terrorist fighters, the diversified means of terrorist financing, the misuse of the Internet and communication technologies by terrorists, and the collusion of terrorist organizations with organized crime. We should attach great importance to the impact of COVID-19 on counter-terrorism, and take timely measures to prevent terrorists from exploiting loopholes caused by the pandemic."

As an important player in the global fight against terrorism, China resolutely implements all relevant UN resolutions, actively participates in international and regional counter-terrorism cooperation, works closely with other member states in sharing intelligence and combating terrorist financing, transnational organized crime and cyber terrorism, he said.

China will work with the international community to analyze in depth the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global terrorist activities, and continue to have bilateral and multilateral exchanges and capacity-building cooperation with other countries, especially developing countries, he said.

China will continue to provide political and financial support to UN counter-terrorism efforts for the maintenance of international peace and security, said Geng.