UNITED NATIONS – A Chinese envoy on Friday called for solidarity and cooperation in the international community to fight terrorism.

The terrorist attacks in the United States 25 years ago dealt a massive blow to the global security landscape. Since then, counterterrorism has become a central issue for the international community, said Sun Lei, charge d'affaires of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

Over the past 25 years, international counterterrorism has made progress. At the same time, the threat of terrorism persists and is taking on new forms and new challenges, Sun told a Security Council meeting on terrorism that coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

"Terrorism is intertwined with regional conflicts. Terrorist activities are characterized by decentralization and fragmentation, emerging technologies are misused for terrorist purposes, and some countries are adopting selective counterterrorism measures and double standards," he said.

"Against this backdrop, the international community should strengthen solidarity and cooperation, uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, give full play to the central coordinating role of the United Nations, and jointly confront terrorism – the common enemy of mankind."

Attention should be paid to both the symptoms and the root causes of terrorism, said Sun.

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Underdevelopment, the lack of education, and conflict and instability give rise to terrorism. The international community must help the countries concerned with their economies, livelihoods, education and employment, and promote sustainable development to break the vicious cycle of terrorism and poverty, he said.

The Security Council must promote political solutions to hot-spot issues, resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation, and eliminate the breeding ground for terrorism, while opposing the politicization and instrumentalization of counterterrorism, and avoiding linking terrorism to specific countries, ethnic groups or religions, he said.

At present, terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) are still waiting for opportunities to restore operational capabilities. Countering terrorism is an international obligation that all countries must fulfill. Authorities in Syria and Afghanistan should resolutely combat all terrorist organizations designated by the Security Council, including the ETIM, he said.

The international community should step up the refinement of rules and regulatory frameworks to govern emerging technologies, accelerate the use of such technologies to enhance counterterrorism capabilities of early warning, monitoring and operational capacities, said Sun.

China always stands firmly on the front line of global counterterrorism. China is ready to work with all parties to actively contribute to a world without terrorism, he said.