China calls for peaceful efforts to solve Ukraine crisis

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Friday called for international peace efforts to solve the Ukraine crisis.

As the crisis in Ukraine drags on, tensions on the ground remain high and the spillover effects are spreading more rapidly. The UN Security Council should work with a greater sense of responsibility and urgency to find ways to achieve cease-fire and restore peace at an early date, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

"Priority should be given to making good use of the mediation tools granted by the (UN) Charter to promote the implementation of various peace initiatives and to leverage the core role of the international collective security mechanism," he told the Security Council.

The Ukraine crisis has complex causes and there is no easy fix. Its resolution takes concerted efforts of all parties, he said. "No matter how challenging it is, the door of political settlement cannot be closed; efforts to promote cease-fire and peace talks cannot relent; the process of diplomatic negotiations cannot stall."

China's position on the question of Ukraine has been consistent and clear. China has always maintained that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be safeguarded, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld, the legitimate security concerns of all parties should be taken seriously, and all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis should be supported, said Geng.

China stands ready to strengthen dialogue and communication with all parties and will continue to make constructive efforts to promote the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, he said.