UN Headquarters, New York City - March 17, 2026 (UNTV - For news purpose only/No archive/Not for other production use)
1. UN High Level Event to Commemorate International Day to Combat Islamophobia
2. Event chairperson Ahmet Yildiz speaking
3. Various of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaking
4. Event in progress
5. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to UN:
"All countries should adhere to a zero tolerance stance towards Islamophobia, firmly resist extremist ideologies and clash of civilizations, prohibit the incitement of hatred and intolerance based on religion or belief, promote a culture of peace, and build inclusive societies."
6. Event in progress

FILE: UN Headquarters, New York City - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
7. Various of UN headquarters, UN flag, UN emblem

The world should adhere to a zero tolerance stance towards Islamophobia and prohibit the incitement of hatred based on religions, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) Sun Lei said on Monday at a UN event.

"All countries should adhere to a zero tolerance stance towards Islamophobia, firmly resist extremist ideologies and clash of civilizations, prohibit the incitement of hatred and intolerance based on religion or belief, promote a culture of peace, and build inclusive societies," Sun said at the UN High Level Event to Commemorate the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

Sun said that Islamophobia violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, erodes the common values of all humanity, threatens peace and development, and severely undermines the international community's efforts to strengthen solidarity and cooperation.

At present, prejudice, discrimination, and violence against Muslims continue to rise in many parts of the world, he said, adding that Islamophobia intertwines with factors such as regional conflicts, social inequality, and misuse of digital technology, posing serious challenges to effective international responses.

Sun noted that to completely eradicate Islamophobia, the international community must work together to build lasting peace, deepen solidarity and mutual trust, and resolve contradictions and differences through dialog and consultation.

The world must jointly pursue development and revitalization, ensuring that people share in the dividends of development and latest technological achievements, thereby uprooting poverty and inequality—the breeding grounds for discrimination and intolerance, he said.

It is also essential to promote dialog among civilizations, strengthen the inclusive coexistence and mutual learning among different races, cultures, and religions, foster mutual understanding among peoples, and eliminate estrangement and misunderstandings, he said.

The ongoing spread of armed conflict in the Middle East has led to a drastic increase in discrimination, hatred, and violence against Muslims, further impacting international and regional security and stability, Sun said.

China firmly opposes associating terrorism with specific countries, ethnicities, or religions. History has repeatedly shown that force is not a solution but only exacerbates hatred and contradictions. Continuing or even escalating the conflict has no winners and will only push the Middle East into a dangerous abyss. The urgent task now is to press the stop button on military actions as soon as possible and swiftly return to dialog and negotiations, Sun said.

China looks forward to further strengthening coordination and cooperation with the UN Alliance of Civilizations and other relevant UN bodies to jointly promote the implementation of relevant UN General Assembly resolutions and help address this global challenge, he said.

China and Islamic countries have always upheld mutual respect and trust, finding a path of friendly coexistence and win-win cooperation among different civilizations, which provides valuable experience for interactions and cooperation among different countries and civilizations, he said.

China will continue to work with Islamic countries to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, striving to achieve common development and shared prosperity, said Sun.