Chinese envoy calls for more int'l support for Bosnia and Herzegovina

A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for more international support for Bosnia and Herzegovina as the country faces political uncertainty and economic difficulties.

The political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to feature a profound deadlock. Disagreements remain among the parties on important issues of state governance, giving rise to greater political uncertainty, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

The geopolitical situation in Europe is now facing new challenges, which result in severe impacts on energy and food security worldwide. Compounded by COVID-19, this has put the economy and people's well-being in Bosnia and Herzegovina under intense pressure, as evidenced by the fast-rising inflation and persistently high unemployment, he told a Security Council meeting on Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"The international community, the EU and European partners in particular, should continue to scale up anti-epidemic and development assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina so as to help with its socio-economic recovery as quickly as possible," he said.

From the perspective of the maintenance of long-term peace and stability, and its accession to the EU, Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to find a feasible path to fully restore sovereignty. The international community should, on the basis of the evolving situation, and in a fair, balanced, and prudent manner, provide constructive assistance in a way that meets the genuine needs of the people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he said.

Picking sides by external forces will not help reconcile the divisions among ethnic groups in the country. Arbitrarily imposing unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law may aggravate tensions and further complicate an already difficult situation, much less an effective way to find a solution to the problem, he said.

China supports all efforts that are conducive to the maintenance of peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. China commends the roles played by Serbia, Croatia, and other countries in the region to that end, said Dai.

China respects the sovereignty, independence, national unity, and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, respects the choice of its people for the future of the country, and encourages all parties in the country to actively engage in constructive dialogue and cooperation to achieve national reconciliation. 2022 is an election year in Bosnia and Herzegovina. China hopes that all parties will seek consensus through dialogue and consultation, and work together to advance the country's political agenda, he said.

China attaches great importance to friendly relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. China's friendship is toward all the people in the country. Bilateral cooperation in various fields, including agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and trade has continuously deepened. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, China has provided vaccines and several batches of anti-epidemic supplies to Bosnia and Herzegovina. China will continue to do its best to help the country achieve long-term peace, stability, and development, he said.