Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks at an open debate on women, peace and security titled "Peace is decided with women: Emerging from conflict by enhancing their participation" held by the United Nations Security Council in New York.

Fu said women are an important force in maintaining international peace and security.

Amid rising global instability, Fu noted that ensuring women are fully lifted out of poverty and violence, enabling their meaningful participation in peace processes and achieving their all-round development remains a long-term and challenging task that requires the concerted efforts of the international community.

Fu emphasized the need to fully prevent and resolve conflicts to create a peaceful environment for women's survival and development, to give full play to women's role by ensuring equal opportunities for participation in peace processes, to promote women's economic empowerment to support their comprehensive development and to strengthen international cooperation to foster balanced global progress for women.

The Chinese envoy said that currently, 676 million women and girls worldwide remain trapped in conflict and instability. From the war in Gaza to gang violence in Haiti and terrorist activities in the Sahel region of West Africa, tens of millions of women and girls live in fear and despair for prolonged periods, he added.

Stressing women's rights cannot be guaranteed without peace, Fu said the UN Security Council should fully fulfill its primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security, and make unremitting efforts to promote ceasefires, end hostilities and advance dialogue and reconciliation.

Fu also highlighted China's contributions to global women's development, noting that the country has deployed more than 1,200 female peacekeepers, trained over 200,000 female professionals across more than 180 countries and regions, and implemented women's empowerment projects worth over $40 million in more than 20 countries.