Topic:
Country: China
Delegate Name: Tanvi Kulkarni
Every year, land mines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices claim nearly 10,000 casualties, mostly civilians, and children in conflict areas such as Afghanistan, Libya, and Yemen, but also alarmingly in places like Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Improvised Explosive Devices or IEDs have been a part of warfare since the 20th century and have been infamous for their massive civilian destruction. As a victim of IED destruction, the People’s Republic of China expresses its concern for the citizens and strives to protect them and their safety.
China supports the consideration and formulation of reasonable and feasible solutions to the abuse of Improvised Explosive Devices( IEDs) by non-state actors within the framework of CCW. China and Belgium, as co-chairs of the Working Group of the Improvised Explosive Devices Disposal Standards, have worked out IEDD Standards aiming to remove obstacles to the peacekeeping operations and minimize the humanitarian casualties, especially to provide expertise to the affected countries to improve their disposal capabilities. China stands ready to work with the rest of the international community to continue its constructive role in seeking a proper solution to the problem of IEDs through experience exchange and technology cooperation. In 2015, China along with the United States released a statement on countering the threat of improvised explosive devices. Both countries collaboratively devised several possible mechanisms to counter this threat. China urges the UN to implement some of these methods worldwide.
The aforementioned methods include engagement between governments, and between governments and industry. This is essential to combat the threat posed by IEDs. China seeks to promote greater engagement and collaboration between government authorities and industry, including companies, associations, and other stakeholders, to develop and refine supply chain security approaches and measures, and to spread awareness in the private sector of the importance of supply chain security. International cooperation is also a part of the proposed plan and China believes that all nations threatened by IEDs should be well educated on how to counter them. Therefore, China is dedicated to encouraging innovative and effective approaches to increase supply chain security in their respective homelands and to encourage others in their regions and in the global community to do the same. China also encourages workshops (similar to ones previously conducted by China) regarding this issue.
The war against IEDs is a long one, and China firmly believes that the most effective long-term solution to the scourge is not defeating or directly engaging IEDs at all, but resolving the conflicts that make them attractive. Conflict resolution is the only approach with the promise of long-term effectiveness.
