Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
UNITED NATIONS – China's envoy to the United Nations on Friday called on the international community to create conditions for dialogue and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and to redouble efforts to open up new prospects for peace in the new year.
Continued international humanitarian assistance is indispensable to help conflict-affected people survive the winter, China's permanent representative to the UN Zhang Jun said, stressing that it is imperative now to help Ukraine repair damaged energy infrastructure as soon as possible
The current situation in Ukraine is a result of the deep-seated security imbalance in Europe, Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN, told a Security Council briefing on Ukraine, noting that only when parties concerned overcome differences and sit down at the negotiation table, can a fundamental solution be found to end the conflict and rebuild the European security architecture.
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The international community, in particular countries with major influence on the current situation, should encourage Russia and Ukraine to engage in dialogue and help open the door to a political solution of the crisis, he added.
The envoy warned that escalating sanctions or providing weapons will only make the situation more difficult and may even provoke more confrontations and exacerbate the conflict, which must be avoided at all costs.
Continued international humanitarian assistance is indispensable to help conflict-affected people survive the winter, he said, stressing that it is imperative now to help Ukraine repair damaged energy infrastructure as soon as possible.
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Russia's 36-hour ceasefire over the Orthodox Christmas should be welcomed, Zhang said, expressing the hope that in the future there will be more similar ceasefire initiatives, "so as to create conditions for a comprehensive ceasefire."
He also urged all military operations that could affect the security of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to be stopped immediately.
China supports the International Atomic Energy Agency in maintaining communication with Russia and Ukraine over the Zaporizhzhia plant in order to reach a mutually acceptable and viable arrangement at an early date, Zhang said.
Speaking of the spillover effects of the crisis, the envoy noted that the artificial disruption of the global industrial chain and supply chain by unilateral sanctions cannot be ignored.
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Major developed countries should adopt responsible economic, monetary and trade policies to avoid negative spillover effects that exacerbate the economic and livelihood difficulties of developing countries, not to mention using the world economy as a political tool or weapon, thereby undermining the hard-won momentum of recovery, he said.
"At the beginning of the new year, all parties should take new actions to actively open up new prospects for peace," Zhang said. "China will continue to uphold an objective and impartial position, and make constructive efforts in its own way."