SINGAPORE, June 1 (Xinhua) -- As armed conflicts continue to multiply worldwide and concerns grow over the erosion of the rules of war, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has maintained and deepened cooperation with China across humanitarian response and international humanitarian law (IHL), its president Mirjana Spoljaric Egger has said.
The ICRC has maintained an office in China for two decades. "The cooperation with China has grown stronger," Spoljaric said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
According to her, the organization maintains regular dialogue with various Chinese ministries and authorities, not only on the implementation of IHL at the political level but also on preparing for the humanitarian consequences of a potential military escalation in the region.
That cooperation has also been reflected in humanitarian operations on the ground.
Recalling her trip from Lebanon into Syria following the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria in 2023, Spoljaric said she witnessed the work of the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) firsthand. "Amongst other people, the president of the Chinese Red Cross was the first one to call me and to offer cooperation in support of the people needing humanitarian assistance."
The ICRC and the RCSC also worked together in Myanmar following the 2025 earthquake there.
"The national society in China is a very powerful one and one with huge capabilities and millions of volunteers that come in when a humanitarian crisis happens," she said.
Spoljaric also referred to China's role in efforts to promote compliance with IHL.
She pointed to the Global Initiative to Galvanize Political Commitment to IHL, launched in 2024 by China, France, Brazil, South Africa, Jordan and Kazakhstan, describing it as "an exceptional measure."
The initiative was launched "as a response to the high number of wars" and "the massive impact it has on civilian populations," she said, noting that around 130 armed conflicts are currently active worldwide.
Over the past year and a half, 111 states have formally joined the initiative, and the ICRC has conducted hundreds of consultations with approximately 160 states and is now finalizing seven chapters of recommendations to strengthen respect for IHL.
The recommendations are designed not only to reaffirm legal principles but also to provide practical guidance, including how IHL should apply in the context of emerging technologies, how civilian infrastructure can be better protected, and what implications modern naval warfare presents, said the president.
Ultimately, she said the effectiveness of IHL depends on political will, which makes sustained political commitment essential alongside technical and operational measures.
Behind these efforts lies her concern over the current trajectory of global conflicts.
In recent years, Spoljaric has traveled extensively to conflict-affected regions. What she has observed, she said, is "a consistent erosion of IHL," accompanied by rising civilian casualties and the large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure.
At the same time, she argues that wars are affecting countries in new ways.
"You don't even need to be directly involved in a conflict nowadays." Pointing to the recent escalation around the Strait of Hormuz, she said even countries far removed from the battlefield can quickly feel the consequences.
In her view, technological developments are adding another layer of risk. Unless the international community strengthens compliance with IHL and invests more heavily in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions, she warned, future conflicts could become even more destructive. ■
