According to a report on the website of the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations on July 22, Sun Lei, the chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, spoke at the open debate of the Security Council on 'Natural Resource Governance: The Cornerstone of Peace, Security and Prosperity'.
Madam Chair
I welcome Foreign Minister Kaei Kwonba to preside over today's meeting. I would like to thank Secretary-General Guterres and Director-General Ivela for their presentations.
Natural resources are a precious wealth given by the Earth to humanity, and they serve as the material basis for human survival and the continuous development of economies. However, conflicts in some regions show that abundant resources do not naturally lead to development and prosperity. Poor governance can, instead, trigger and exacerbate violent disputes. The international community should work together to strengthen the management of natural resources, maintain the stability of the global resource supply chain, and contribute to international peace and development. I will discuss three points:
First, peace and stability are a solid guarantee for the management of natural resources. Whether it’s oil and gas pipelines or mining areas, without a peaceful and stable environment, natural resources cannot be utilized to benefit the people. The international community should adopt a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable approach to security. It is essential to resolve disputes peacefully, urge relevant parties involved in conflicts to cease military confrontation, and support regional countries and organizations in strengthening cooperation. Together, we must combat illegal exploitation and smuggling of natural resources, enhance transparency and traceability in supply chains, and cut off the link between armed conflicts and the exploitation of natural resources from the source. At the same time, the causes of armed conflicts are complex and varied, involving political, social, economic, and other factors. Natural resources should not be simply regarded as the root cause of conflicts, nor should issues related to normal economic and industrial cooperation be overblown with security concerns, political manipulation, or instrumentalization.
Secondly, fairness and justice are essential prerequisites for natural resource cooperation. International law grants countries absolute sovereignty over their domestic resources, and this principle cannot be challenged. There should be no longer any practices of colonial rule or exploitation. Developing countries have the right to fully utilize their natural resource endowments to achieve economic and social development. China supports the establishment of an open, inclusive, fair, reasonable, cooperative, and green mineral governance system. Attempting to create rivalries among groups under the pretext of “risk reduction” or “maintaining national security,” and establishing exclusive “cliques,” will only disrupt market order and harm the common interests of all countries.
Thirdly, sustainable development is the ultimate goal of natural resource exploitation. It has been repeatedly shown that the problem of illegal resources persists despite repeated efforts to curb it. The root causes lie in poverty, unemployment, and inadequate development. To break the vicious cycle between resources and conflicts, it is necessary to support the countries involved in achieving autonomous and sustainable development. The international community, especially developed countries, has a responsibility to fulfill their aid commitments, support resource-producing countries, particularly developing nations, and continuously improve the governance systems related to resources. Through technology transfer, capacity building, talent cultivation, and industrial upgrading, efforts can be made to increase the value and benefits of resource products. This will help eliminate poverty, create jobs, and truly benefit local communities, thereby laying a solid foundation for peace.
Chairperson,
As a major country in the production, consumption, and trade of natural resources, China has always been a champion and promoter of governance and cooperation in natural resources. Last year, China proposed the 'Green Minerals International Economic and Trade Cooperation Initiative' at the G20 Leaders' Summit, aiming to establish a new type of partnership for mineral resources that is open, mutually beneficial, fair, and reasonable. China is willing to work with the international community to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in natural resources, and to better assist relevant countries in turning their resource endowments into driving forces for development, thereby paving the way towards long-term stability and prosperous growth.
Thank you Madam President.
