Envoy calls for peace effort on Ukraine

The top Chinese ambassador to the United Nations on Monday urged the international community to promote a political solution to the Ukraine crisis, noting that everything China has been doing is to facilitate peace talks.

A political solution to the Ukraine crisis must be promoted with the utmost urgency, Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN, told a Security Council meeting Monday on the maintenance of peace and security in Ukraine.

"There are no easy answers to complex issues, and the first step must always be taken to comprehensively solve them," said Zhang.

"The restart of dialogue and negotiation cannot wait any longer. All parties should create conditions for promoting dialogue and negotiation, instead of adding fuel to the flames, intensifying conflicts and trying to profit from it," he said.

"China has always stood on the side of peace on the Ukraine issue, and everything we do is to promote peace and talks," said Zhang.

Zhang said all efforts must be made to alleviate the harm and suffering by civilians. He said international humanitarian law sets out the rules of conduct that must be observed in conflict situations.

"Parties to the conflict should do their utmost to protect the safety of civilians and civilian facilities," said Zhang. "Women and children are the most vulnerable groups in armed conflict and should be given special care.

"We welcome the international community, including humanitarian agencies, to expand assistance to all affected people and advance the restoration of civilian infrastructure on the basis of the principles of neutrality and impartiality," he said.

China supports the balanced, comprehensive and effective implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the memorandum of understanding on promoting Russian food products and fertilizers to the world. China supports the UN in playing an important role in eliminating the practical obstacles to Russia's grain and fertilizer exports, said Zhang.

"We must keep the red line of nuclear safety," said Zhang.

Zhang reiterated that a nuclear war must never be fought and cannot be won, adding that the safety and security of nuclear power plant facilities in Ukraine is related to the safety and well-being of hundreds of millions of people, and any accident may have immeasurable humanitarian and ecological consequences.

"We call for maximum rational restraint and refrain from words and deeds that may intensify confrontation and lead to misjudgment," he said.

Zhang emphasized that the world must pay attention to and manage the spillover effects of conflict response.

"The world economy is facing new risks of recession, and countries need to coordinate their actions to jointly maintain the stability of the global food, energy, and financial markets," said Zhang.

However, Zhang said, round after round of unilateral sanctions and the extension of the "long-arm jurisdiction" have not only "caused serious humanitarian consequences, but also disrupted the global industrial and supply chains", he said.

"The US and other relevant countries should seriously reflect on it, make immediate reforms, and create conditions for developing countries to develop their economies and improve their people's livelihood," said Zhang. "They should not engage in economic coercion while fabricating narratives that accuse other countries of engaging in economic coercion.

"Unilateral sanctions have no basis in international law and are causing resentment and opposition from more and more countries," he said, adding that the so-called "rules-based international order" also has "serious problems in law and practice".

"It cannot be used as an excuse for the US and other relevant countries to impose unilateral sanctions indiscriminately, nor has it received wide support and recognition from the international community," said Zhang.

Li Hui, special representative of the Chinese government on Eurasian affairs, is visiting Ukraine, Poland, France, Germany and Russia for communication, aiming at promoting a political settlement to the Ukraine crisis, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin.