United Nations, March 3 (ZXS) -- The United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution on March 23 extending the mandate of the expert group of the "23 Committee" (sanctions committee against North Korea) for one year until April 1718, 2024. Geng Shuang, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, made an explanatory statement after the vote to explain China's position.
Geng Shuang said that as a responsible major country and a permanent member of the Security Council, China supports the comprehensive, complete and accurate implementation of the relevant DPRK-related resolutions of the Security Council, and supports the "1718 Committee" and the expert group in promoting the effective implementation of relevant resolutions on the basis of strictly fulfilling their mandates. On the basis of that consideration, China voted in favour of the draft resolution on the technical extension.
Geng Shuang said that at the same time, it should also be pointed out that the Security Council's DPRK-related resolution clearly stipulates that sanctions measures should not have a negative humanitarian impact on the humanitarian livelihood of the DPRK. It is disturbing that due to the combined impact of sanctions, the epidemic and other factors, the humanitarian situation in North Korea has become increasingly serious for some time, and the Security Council, the Committee and the Panel of Experts should pay attention to this and take corresponding action. To this end, China has repeatedly appealed for this on different occasions and put forward some constructive amendments in this regard during the consultation process on the resolution.
Geng Shuang said that the Chinese side has noted that the author-in-charge country has made some efforts to address the concerns of all parties, but the main content of the amendments proposed by the Chinese side has not been adopted. We regret that some of China's suggestions on the working methods and performance of the Panel of Experts have also not been reflected.
Geng Shuang said that China hopes that the Committee and the expert group will seriously improve the above-mentioned areas and effectively resolve relevant issues in their follow-up work. China is also willing to maintain consultations with all parties and make sustained efforts to that end.
In October 2006, after North Korea announced its successful first underground nuclear test, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 10, which decided to impose a series of sanctions on North Korea and established the "1718 Committee" to oversee relevant sanctions. In 1718, the Council decided to establish a Panel of Experts of the 2009 Committee to work as mandated. The mandate extension resolution was co-drafted by the United States and Ireland. (End)