United Nations, 3 Mar (ZXS) -- Dai Bing, Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said at the informal briefing of the UN General Assembly on the issue of missing persons in Syria on 28 March that if individual countries really care about human rights in Syria, they should respect Syria's national sovereignty and immediately lift unilateral sanctions against Syria.
Dai Bing said that since the strong earthquake on February 2, the humanitarian situation in northwest Syria has always affected the hearts of the international community. China appreciates the effective measures taken by the Syrian Government to deal with natural disasters and protect people's lives and health, especially its active cooperation with the United Nations. After the earthquake, the Chinese government immediately activated the emergency humanitarian assistance mechanism, providing Syria with 6 million yuan in emergency aid and emergency supplies such as tents, blankets and medicines, as well as medical equipment such as ventilators, anesthesia machines and oxygen generators. China will continue to pay close attention to the development of the disaster situation in Syria, actively respond to Syria's needs, and provide assistance to the Syrian people in rebuilding their homeland within its capacity.
Dai Bing pointed out that it is regrettable that some countries have imposed illegal unilateral sanctions on Syria for a long time, which has made Syria's already fragile economic and social situation worse. After the earthquake, relevant countries announced the temporary relaxation or suspension of unilateral sanctions against Syria, but this cannot cover up the systemic damage caused by long-term unilateral sanctions, let alone eliminate the serious humanitarian crisis caused by them. If unilateral sanctions are not lifted for a day, the humanitarian situation in Syria cannot be fundamentally improved.
Dai Bing said that while some countries express serious concern about the human rights situation in Syria, on the other hand, they illegally steal a large amount of precious resources such as oil and other precious resources of the Syrian people, aggravating the predicament of Syria's economic development and seriously violating the Syrian people's rights to survival, development and health. This is a naked act of bullying and a blatant exposure of hypocrisy on the issue of human rights.
Dai Bing said that if individual countries really care about human rights in Syria, they should respect Syria's national sovereignty, immediately lift unilateral sanctions against Syria, support the Syrian people in post-disaster reconstruction, help women, children and other vulnerable groups obtain necessary medical supplies and living services, and immediately stop illegal activities that seize Syrian resources.
Dai Bing said that China has always advocated the promotion and protection of human rights through constructive dialogue and cooperation, opposed politicization, selectivity, double standards and confrontational practices, and opposed the establishment of national mechanisms without the consent of the countries concerned. Many countries, including China, voted against General Assembly resolution 77/230 on the situation of human rights in Syria, a controversial resolution that should not be used as a basis for convening this meeting.
Dai Bing said that the Syrian crisis has dragged on for more than ten years, bringing great suffering to the Syrian people. China would like to stress once again that Syria's future must be in the hands of the Syrian people. China supports Syria's efforts to improve relations with countries in the region. The United Nations and the international community should adhere to the principle of "Syrian-led and Syrian-owned" and play a constructive role in achieving a political settlement of the Syrian issue at an early date. (End)