Sun Lei, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations — Remarks at the UN Security Council on the Situation in the Middle East (Yemen)
16 June 2026
President,
I thank Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher for their briefings, and welcome the Permanent Representative of Yemen to today’s meeting.
The situation in Yemen is closely related to that in the Middle East. China welcomes the U.S. and Iran reaching agreement on the text of the memorandum of understanding for the first stage of negotiations and commends Pakistan’s mediation efforts. We hope the document will be signed according to the agreed timetable and all relevant parties will stay committed to peaceful solutions and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation. I would like to make four points:
First, the peace process must not be abandoned. Recently, the Yemeni government and the Houthis reached a large-scale detainees release agreement. China welcomes this development and appreciates the efforts by Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman to this end. The agreement sends a positive signal that peace in Yemen remains achievable. China supports Yemen in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. We look forward to and support the full and faithful implementation of the agreement by both sides, so as to gradually build mutual trust and promote the resumption of the Yemeni peace process. We support regional countries in their constructive role in this endeavor to help Yemen find a comprehensive solution aimed at the early restoration of peace and stability.
Second, security and stability must be maintained. Military clashes between the Yemeni government and the Houthis in Marib and Hodeidah governorates highlight the fragility of the situation in Yemen. China expresses serious concern about this and calls on parties to exercise calm and restraint, and avoid taking any actions that could escalate tensions and undermine mutual trust. The Office of the Special Envoy should effectively fulfill its function of monitoring the ceasefire, engage with the parties to the conflict, and prevent further clashes.
Safeguarding the security of shipping lanes in the Red Sea is a shared responsibility, and the navigational rights of commercial and merchant vessels of all countries in those waters under international law should be fully respected. No party should inflate tensions or take provocative actions regarding the Red Sea issue.
Third, the humanitarian situation must be reversed. Yemen is one of the countries with the most severe humanitarian situations. Recently, the OCHA, World Bank, and other international organizations have intensively issued reports on Yemen, projecting an economy under strain and worsening humanitarian conditions, among a host of other challenges in Yemen. Currently, an estimated 18.3 million people in Yemen are experiencing acute food insecurity, which is particularly alarming. China notes that the World Bank has approved a new grants to Yemen, and calls on the international community to provide more emergency humanitarian assistance to Yemen, to concretely improve the livelihoods of the Yemeni people and prevent a large-scale crisis.
Fourth, humanitarian red lines must not be crossed. Protecting UN personnel is a basic requirement of international humanitarian law and a wide consensus of the international community. The continued detention of 73 UN personnel has had a severe negative impact on the humanitarian operations of relevant UN agencies in Yemen. China expresses deep concern about this, and supports UN’s efforts for their release and calls on the Houthis to release them immediately and unconditionally.
China has consistently and strictly complied with and implemented Security Council resolutions, and has always adopted a prudent and responsible approach toward the export of military products and dual-use items, implementing strict controls in accordance with our domestic export control laws and regulations as well as our international obligations. The accusations made by the US against China are completely baseless, and China firmly rejects them.
China will continue to work with the international community to make unremitting efforts for an early political settlement of the Yemen issue and the restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East.
Thank you, President.