Mr. Chairman,

Fifty years ago, in the wake of fading smoke of the World War II, representatives from 26 countries drafted and adopted the "Magna Carta of International Refugee Law"----the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees in Geneva. It is undoubtedly of great significance for us to gather here today in this beautiful city again to review its past, discuss future prospects and commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the adoption of the Convention. Here, I wish to express my thanks to the Federal Government of Switzerland and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for initiating and co-sponsoring this conference. I am convinced that, under your Chairmanship and with our common efforts, the Conference will be a complete success.

Mr. Chairman,

The Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol are the most important international legal instruments in the field of international protection of refugees. Among the many international humanitarian documents, it is this Convention, which has only a few pages, that defines the basic concept of refugee and the relevant rights and obligations and fills in the gap in the legal field of international protection of refugees. To the helpless refugees who wander overseas after leaving their homeland, the Convention is the candlelight of hope in the dark. To the regime for international protection of refugees, the Convention is the cornerstone for its smooth operation.  To people who are engaged in humanitarian work of protecting and assisting refugees, the Convention serves as a guide to action. It has played an essential role in the field of international protection of refugees and has won universal attention. This has become the common understanding of the international community.

The Convention has covered a five-decade course of stormy events. For the past 50 years, a total of over 50 million people have been sheltered in the edifice of international protection of refugees built under the Convention. The number of States Parties to the Convention has increased to nearly 140. Here, I wish to take this opportunity to fully affirm the active role played by the Convention in the past 50 years.  Meanwhile, I wish to express my appreciation of the endeavors made by the supervisory agency of the Convention—the UNHCR in ensuring the implementation of the Convention over the years.

Mr. Chairman,

Today, as mankind has marched into the new century, the international situation is undergoing complicated and profound changes. Economic globalization is picking up pace, the trend towards political multipolarity is gaining momentum, science and technology keep advancing by leaps and bounds, and the productive forces are on the rise as never before.  Mankind boasts of material and spiritual wealth more abundant than any time in history. The desire of the world's people for a peaceful and happy life is stronger than ever. The development and progress of human society is faced with unprecedented opportunities. Meanwhile, we must be soberly aware that neither of the two themes of our times--peace and development--has been resolved so far. Democratized international relations is still far from reality. The unjust and irrational international political and economic order has not been transformed fundamentally.  There are still constant armed conflicts, external intervention, ethnic confrontation and religious clashes. Against this background, the situation of refugees has been very grim, with undulating tides of refugees and their total number staying high for a long period since the birth of the Convention half a century ago. Today as we mark the Anniversary of the Convention, the number of persons of concern to the UNHCR is as high as 21 million and more. At the same time, the abuse of refugee asylum policies and procedures as well as the protection of vulnerable refugee groups, including women, children and the elderly, remain most striking issues.

It is an arduous task faced by the international community to eradicate the root causes of refugees. A thorough solution of the refugee problem is our common aspiration and also the lofty target pursued by the Convention. For this, I wish to make the following proposals:

1. To safeguard world peace, promote common development. We should address the existing refugee issues while seeking their durable solutions. The 50-year history tells us that the unjust and irrational international political and economic order is the root cause of refugee issues. While coping with refugee crisis, the international community should work together to handle international affairs on the basis of equality and in an equitable manner, resolve international disputes through peaceful means, achieve the democratization of international relations, promote the common prosperity and development of all countries and prevent the emergence of refugees at the root.

2. To effectively uphold the authority of the Convention and the existing regime for international protection and actively explore new ways and means for resolving the refugee problem. As the world has entered the new century, the Convention plays an important and essential role in the international protection of refugees, and the basic principles and spirit established by the Convention are by no means obsolete. It is of most important historical and practical significance to continue to bring into full play the positive role of the Convention and its Protocol. In the meantime, countries should actively seek new and effective measures consistent with the principles and spirit of the Convention in order to address new issues and problems in the international refugee field.

3. To adhere to the principles of “international solidarity” and “burden sharing” and carry out international cooperation effectively. The refugee problem is a global one, and closer international cooperation is an effective way for its resolution. At present, developing countries have paid a heavy price for resolving this problem by providing asylum to three-fourths of the total global refugee population. Members of the international community, developed countries in particular, are duty-bound to face the realities squarely, fully recognize the tremendous contribution made by the developing countries and continue to provide help to host countries in the developing world that have provided shelter to refugees and to undertake the corresponding resettlement obligations in accordance with the principles of “international solidarity” and “burden sharing” as enshrined in the Convention.

4. To draw a clear line between the refugee issue and others, preventing the abuse of the protection regime and asylum policies as prescribed in the Convention. Unrestrained expansion of the asylum procedures of the Convention would result in a negative impact on the international protection regime, conniving at illegal immigration and allowing criminals to go unpunished, thus doing harm to peace and stability of states and regions. The States Parties must step up the process to determine refugee status in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Convention. The UNHCR should also work strictly within its mandate so as to ensure that while refugees are duly protected, the asylum policies and procedures are not abused so that the Convention serves as a true guarantee for refugee protection.

Mr. Chairman,

China has always attached importance to the protection of refugees and has long taken an active part in the work in this connection. Following its accession to the Convention and its Protocol in 1982, China has, as always, conscientiously fulfilled its international obligations and earnestly engaged in domestic legislation on refugee affairs. The Chinese Government has received and extended effective protection to more than 280,000 Indo-Chinese refugees in spite of its own difficulties. As of now, some of them have been voluntarily repatriated in line with the principles and spirit of the Convention. The Chinese Government stands ready to continue to cooperate with the relevant countries and the UNHCR for an appropriate solution of the leftover issues of the Indo-Chinese refugees in China. It will go on honoring its international obligations, enhancing its cooperation with the international community, including the UNHCR, and pressing ahead towards resolving the global refugee issue.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

(Translation)