Mr. President,

At the outset, please allow me, on behalf of the Chinese delegation, to congratulate you on your election to the presidency of this Conference. The Chinese delegation can assure you of its full cooperation. We are confident that this Conference will achieve positive outcomes under your leadership.

Mr. President,

Over the past more than ten years, the universality of the Amended Protocol II of the CCW (AP II) has been continuously enhanced, and its effectiveness been continuously strengthened. Relevant international exchanges, assistance and cooperation have been constantly deepened. It has played an important role in resolving humanitarian issues caused by landmines.

The Chinese Government has all along attached great importance to the implementation of AP II, and strictly abided by its obligations under the Protocol. Over past year, China has allocated a great amount of human and material resources in implementing AP II and taken effective measures. Many positive achievements have been made since then.

China continued to promote training and awareness-raising about the implementation of AP II. The Chinese Government has established an annual plan for AP II implementation. We carried out training courses to technical backbones within the framework of military training and education. Workshops focusing on implementation of AP II were held to study the main obligations of AP II and conduct theoretical research. The implementation of AP II has achieved progress steadily.

China has made great achievements in resolving the landmine problem along its land border areas. From 2002 to 2008, China successfully accomplished the demining operations of the passage for boundary demarcation in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in which an area of 1,721,900 square meters has been cleared. Till now, the mine field in Chinese side within Guangxi section of the land border between China and Vietnam has been completely cleaned. Meanwhile, the 8-year long demining operation along the Yunnan section of the land border between China and Vietnam has been successfully completed in which an area of 3,424,000 square meters cleared.

Furthermore, the Chinese military forces has vigorously carried out removal and destruction operations of unexploded explosive ordnance, and has continued destroying outdated and obsolete anti-personnel mines that do not meet the technical requirements of AP II. China also has made new progress in the R&D of alternative weapons to anti-personnel mines.

Mr. President,

In the course of promoting domestic implementation of AP II, China has also actively participated in international humanitarian demining cooperation and carried out humanitarian assistance. In February 2009, the Chinese Government donated a batch of demining equipment to Egypt, and sent experts to provide technical training for 15 Egyptian personnel. The Chinese Government  held a two-month long demining training course for 38 demining personnel from Afghanistan and Iraq in Nanjing, China. China will donate some demining equipment to the two countries after the training course. China attaches great importance to the landmine problem affecting Sri Lanka, and decides to supply humanitarian demining assistance as soon as possible with a view to supporting relevant efforts made by the Sri Lanka Government. The Chinese military force has finished translating and examining of the second version of the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS), which will supply a powerful guarantee for China's continuous participation in the international mine action.

Mr. President,

The Chinese delegation appreciates the briefing made by the friend of the president on discussions related to Improvised Explosive Device (IED) issues in this year's Meeting of Experts of AP II. The Chinese Government is concerned to the humanitarian problems caused by non-state actor's abuse of IED, and has actively participated relevant discussion within the Meeting of Experts. China would like to continue such exchanges.

Mr. President,

China is willing to cooperate with all parties to promote the implementation of AP II, enhance its universality, and make new contributions to resolving the humanitarian issues caused by landmines.

Thank you, Mr. President.