UNITED NATIONS - China calls for enhanced international cooperation and comprehensive strategies to properly handle the problem of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, said a Chinese UN envoy here on Monday.

Addressing a Security Council open meeting on piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said that the countries of the Guinea Gulf, the relevant regional organizations and the international community should fully recognize the serious nature of the problem, implement timely and effective preventive and combating actions, properly solve the problem through enhancing international cooperation and preparing comprehensive strategies.

Wang said that the counties in the Gulf of Guinea bear the primary responsibility on dealing with the piracy. China hopes the counties concerned will increase their input, strengthen coordination and do a better job in maintaining regional peace and security.

In addition, "China also hopes the relevant regional organizations will further play their role of leadership and coordination, convene a regional summit on preventing and combating privacy as soon as possible, strengthen and improve coordination mechanism so that the relevant actions of various countries could form synergy," he said.

On the question of dealing with piracy in the Gulf of Guinea," China called upon the countries with capability to effectively pay attention to the issue, provide necessary assistance on the basis of fully respecting the sovereignty of countries concerned," Wang said. "The Chinese government will also continue to provide assistance within our capabilities."

Wang further pointed out that poverty and backward economic and social development is the soil for breeding pirate activities." Solving piracy problem requires integrated strategy which deal with both symptoms and root causes," he said. "We calls on the international community to double its efforts and play a more positive role in eliminating poverty and achieving economic and social sustainable development in countries concerned."