Chinese envoy calls for political settlement of Ukraine crisis

UNITED NATIONS, May 15 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Monday called for the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis with the greatest sense of urgency.

The Ukraine crisis still drags on. The humanitarian situation remains extremely dire and the spillover effects of the crisis continue to manifest themselves. The international community should take positive steps to mitigate the humanitarian consequences of the conflict and make joint efforts for the de-escalation of the situation and an early cessation of hostilities, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

First, every effort should be made to reduce the harm and suffering done to civilians, he told a Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

Second, the red line of nuclear safety must never be crossed, he said, adding nuclear weapons must not be used and a nuclear war must not be fought.

"We call for maximum restraint and for avoiding words and deeds that could exacerbate confrontation and lead to miscalculations. China supports the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency in maintaining communication with Russia and Ukraine and playing a crucial role in safeguarding the safety and security of civilian nuclear facilities."

Third, the spillover effects of the conflict response measures should be taken seriously and managed, said Zhang.

The world economy is faced with renewed risks of recession, a situation that demands coordinated actions by all countries to jointly keep global food, energy and financial markets stable. However, one round of unilateral sanctions after another and ever-expanding long-arm jurisdiction have not only led to severe humanitarian consequences, but also undermined the global industrial and supply chains, he said.

The United States and other relevant countries should seriously reflect on their behavior, immediately mend their ways and create conditions for developing countries to grow their economies and improve livelihoods. They must refrain from engaging in economic coercion on the one hand, and on the other hand cooking up narratives accusing other countries of economic coercion, he said.

Fourth, and most fundamentally, the greatest sense of urgency is needed for the political settlement of the crisis, said Zhang.

There are no simple answers to complex issues. Any comprehensive solution always begins with the first step and the resumption of dialogue and negotiations cannot be delayed indefinitely. All parties should create conditions for advancing dialogue and negotiations instead of adding fuel to the fire and escalating tensions in an attempt to profit from it, he said.

On the Ukraine issue, China has always been on the side of peace and everything it does is for the promotion of talks for peace. Li Hui, China's special representative on Eurasian affairs, has begun visits to Ukraine, Poland, France, Germany and Russia, in a bid to engage with various parties on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. China stands ready to work with the international community in continued and tireless efforts toward the political settlement of the crisis, he said.