(June 24,10:00 AM, Tempus)

Madam President, 

Let me begin by congratulating your Excellency on assuming the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) and thanking you for your introductory remarks. The Chinese delegation will assure you of our support during your presidency. I would like to take this opportunity to convey my delegation’s appreciation for the dedication of Ambassador Camille Petit to the work of the CD and other related disarmament machinery, and wish her all the best in her future work and life. 

The second part of the 2025 CD session is nearing its conclusion. The substantive discussions within the subsidiary bodies have largely concluded, and the process of consultation on the draft reports of all the five subsidiary bodies has begun. We hope that the coordinators will continue to adopt a professional, objective, and pragmatic approach, guide delegations to respect each other’s concerns, actively seek common ground, and strive for consensus in finalizing the reports. China will continue to participate in the consultations in a constructive manner.

Madam President,

The work of the CD does not take place in a vacuum. The recent Israel-Iran conflict has led to a sudden escalation of tensions in the Middle East and wreaked havoc on global stability. China is deeply concerned about the current situation in the Middle East and strongly condemns the recent U.S. attack on Iran, including its strikes on nuclear facilities under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The actions by the U.S. constitute a grave violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and have exacerbated tensions in the Middle East, and will inevitably have a severe negative impact on the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, which is underpinned by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), as well as on the work of the CD.

As President Xi Jinping pointed out, the use of force is not the right way to resolve international disputes,  and it will only exacerbate hatred and conflicts. The historical experience and lessons proved repeatedly that negotiation is the fundamental way forward for the resolution of Iranian nuclear issue. Communication and dialogue are the right ways to achieve lasting peace. Under current circumstances, the political settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue must be firmly upheld, and efforts should be made to bring the Iranian nuclear issue back onto the track of political solution through dialogue and negotiation. 

Without stability in the Middle East, there can hardly be peace in the world. China does not hope for a spiral of escalation of tensions in the region, and hopes that ceasefire could be achieved as early as possible. We stand ready to work with the international community to foster synergy, and make efforts to safeguard peace and stability in the Middle East.

Thank you, Madam President.