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China Urges UN to Reconsider UNIFIL Withdrawal in Lebanon

China's UN envoy Fu Cong has called for revisiting the decision to withdraw UNIFIL peacekeepers from southern Lebanon. He stated that the majority of the Security Council believes now is not the time for withdrawal. The UN Security Council had voted in August last year to end the mission by 2026. China will take its position after reviewing a UN Secretariat report expected in June.

Key Points: China Calls on UN to Revisit UNIFIL in Lebanon

  • China assumes UN Security Council presidency for May
  • Fu Cong questions UNIFIL withdrawal from southern Lebanon
  • UN Security Council voted to end mission by 2026
  • China awaits UN Secretariat report before taking position
2 min read

China calls on UN to revisit UNIFIL positioning in Lebanon

China's UN envoy Fu Cong calls for revisiting UNIFIL withdrawal from southern Lebanon, citing Security Council concerns over timing.

"We do believe that we should revisit the decision, actually, to withdraw the UNIFIL - Fu Cong"

New York, May 2

Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations, Fu Cong on Saturday said it was a great honour to assume the rotating Presidency of the Security Council for the month of May.

Fu said that one of the issues China has been considering was the future of the UN's peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported.

"We do believe that we should revisit the decision, actually, to withdraw the UNIFIL," Fu said, referring to a resolution passed by the UN Security Council in August last year.

UN peacekeepers have been stationed in southern Lebanon since Israel's 1978 invasion, but last year, the council's 15 members voted to bring the mission to a close from the end of 2026, as per Al Jazeera.

"I think at least the view of the overwhelming majority of the Security Council is that this is not the time to really, to withdraw the UNIFIL out of that part of the country," Fu said.

China is waiting for a report from the UN Secretariat expected in June "before we take our position", he added, as per Al Jazeera.

In a post on X, Fu said, "It is a great honor for China to assume the rotating Presidency of the Security Council for the month of May. We commend the work done by Bahrain as the President last month. Now that the baton is in our hand, we will continue to uphold fairness and transparency in the Council's work, and will discharge our duties with a strong sense of responsibility and a constructive approach, committed to promoting solidarity and cooperation of the Council, so that it will play a positive role in safeguarding international peace and security."

Created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops after the 1978 invasion, UNIFIL saw its mandate expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah and was responsible for a demilitarised buffer between the opposing sides, as per Al Jazeera.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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James A
As someone who follows Middle East politics closely, I think China's push to keep UNIFIL is sensible. Withdrawing peacekeepers while tensions remain high between Israel and Hezbollah would be reckless. The 2006 war showed how quickly things can escalate. India should support this position - we have troops in UN missions and understand the value of maintaining stability.
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Sarah B
I'm a bit skeptical about this. China says it wants fairness and transparency, but look at their track record in the UN - blocking resolutions on human rights, supporting authoritarian regimes. And now they want to revisit the UNIFIL withdrawal decision? Seems like they're trying to gain influence in the Middle East at the expense of genuine peacekeeping. India should not blindly follow.
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Vikram M
China taking on UNSC presidency is a reminder that India needs to push harder for permanent membership. We've contributed more to UN peacekeeping than any country, yet China gets to lead while we watch. On Lebanon, UNIFIL withdrawal shouldn't be rushed, but China's motives here need scrutiny. India should engage diplomatically rather than just reacting.
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Priya S
I'm glad China is at least saying the right things about UN peacekeeping. UNIFIL has been crucial in preventing another war between Israel and Hezbollah. India has always supported such missions. But we need to ask: is China doing this for genuine peace or to counter Western influence? Either way, stability in Lebanon is good for everyone. India should cooperate where it aligns with our interests.
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Rohit P
Honestly, China's presidency of UNSC is a joke when they violate UN resolutions in

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