On December 18, 2015 local time, Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the Ministerial Meeting of the UN Security Council on the Syrian Issue in New York. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted the Resolution 2254 ratifying the results of the foreign ministers’ meeting of the International Syria Support Group, and China cast an affirmative vote.

After the adoption of the Resolution, Wang Yi said in his speech that China welcomes the UN Security Council unanimously adopting the Resolution to politically solve the Syrian issue that pooled the extensive consensus of the international community, embodied the important role of the UN Security Council, reflected the ardent expectation of the Syrian people and injected new impetus into the political solution of the Syrian issue. We should earnestly implement the Resolution, turn the consensus into actions as soon as possible and transform the expectations into reality at an early date.

Wang Yi expressed that in the past five years since the breakout of the Syrian crisis, there has been ups and downs as well as gain and loss in the political process. We should sum up the successful experience and draw lessons from the failures to steadily advance the political process in the next stage and push the political solution process of the Syrian issue onto an irreversible path.

First, adhere to the political solution of the Syrian issue. In solving the Syrian crisis, military means are no way out while political negotiations are the right path. All conflicting parties in Syria must cease fire immediately. The UN Security Council should send out a clear and strong signal to this end. Relevant countries especially regional nations should exert their own influence, and conduct mediation work on all parties in Syria separately to urge them to truly cease fire and stop violence.

Second, adhere to the principle that the future of Syria should be independently decided by the Syrian people. The political process in Syria should be “led and owned by the Syrian people”, which not only conforms to the principles and purpose of the UN Charter but also accords with the universal norms governing international relations. The specific arrangements for Syria’s political transition should be discussed by the Syrian government and its oppositions independently, Syria’s constitutionalization ways should be decided independently by all parties and circles in the country, and the future Syrian leaders should be chosen by the Syrian people independently. Other countries should offer constructive help and the international community should provide a necessary environment and create favorable conditions to this end.

Third, adhere to the guideline that the UN plays the role as a main mediator. The intervention of the UN is more legitimate and authoritative and serves as the greatest common divisor acceptable to all parties. It is hoped that the UN will orderly advance the work according to the authorization and play a more active role in such aspects as integrating the oppositions and coordinating international counterterrorism actions. All countries should cooperate with and support the UN.

Wang Yi stressed that China always upholds an objective and just stance in solving the Syrian issue. China has no private interests and never pursues personal gains on the Syrian issue. No matter we cast an affirmative vote or a dissenting vote, we do it for avoiding wars and turmoil, offering tranquility and peace to the Syrian people, providing a way out for the political solution, safeguarding the fundamental and long-term interests of people in Syria and the rest of the region, maintaining the purposes of the UN Charter and basic norms governing international relations, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of vast developing countries especially medium and small ones.

Wang Yi expressed that the current situation in Syria concerns all parties and affects its neighbors and the world at large, with its increasingly prominent spillover effect causing such severe global challenges as terrorism and refugee crisis. We call on all parties to truly put aside the competition for geopolitical interests, abandon the zero-sum mentality of win or lose, earnestly bear in mind the big picture of safeguarding global strategic stability and the welfare of the international community, make concerted efforts to advance the political transition, and unite as one to combat terrorism, join efforts to ease the humanitarian crisis and comprehensively address the refugee issue.