UNITED NATIONS, May 15 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the international community to step up the humanitarian assistance to Yemen.
The escalation of conflict in some parts of Yemen has led to civilian displacements, and it is coupled with cholera outbreaks, threat of famine, and dire economic situation, plunging the people of Yemen into abysmal suffering, China's permanent representative to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu said at a UN Security Council meeting.
According to the UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock, 10 million Yemenis are still reliant on emergency food assistance to survive, and a resurgent cholera outbreak has already affected 300,000 people this year - compared to 370,000 cases in the whole of 2018.
"We are deeply concerned and worried by the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen," Ma said.
The Chinese envoy called on the international community to distribute pledged aid, to provide support as needed on the ground. "In particular, full attention should be paid to the humanitarian needs of vulnerable groups such as women and children."
According to Ma, China has kept up its food aid to Yemen. China has sent 1,200 metric tons of rice to Yemen since mid-March this year. Another shipment of 1,200 metric tons of rice will be arriving in Aden by the end of May.
China is ready, along with the rest of the international community, to continue its support for a political solution to the Yemeni issue, he added.
Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Houthi rebels overtook the capital Sanaa and ousted the internationally-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Houthis since 2015.
