By Xinhua | December 31, 2023 | 16:18
Image taken on December 19, 2023 of a building damaged in a bomb attack in Donetsk. (Xinhua/Victor)
A Chinese envoy on Saturday called on parties involved in the Ukraine crisis to end the violence soon.
The Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday to review the situation of civilian casualties in the conflict. On Saturday, the Council met again at Russia's request to discuss the matter.
China, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, was saddened by this dense avalanche of Council deliberations over the serious attacks and civilian casualties at the end of the year.
“We are deeply concerned about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and about the raging flames of war that continue to cause untold devastation as the New Year approaches,” he told the Security Council.
The Chinese envoy also stated that there are no winners in any conflict or war. They cause nothing but great suffering to innocent people and enormous damage to peace and stability in the region and will only exacerbate the current difficulties of global economic development, especially for developing countries in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“We renew our call on the parties involved to respond positively to the international community's call for peace, strengthen their commitment to the cause, expand their common ground and end hostilities soon,” he said.
“We also renew our call on all concerned parties to intensify diplomatic mediation with a greater sense of urgency and work together to create conditions conducive to an early political solution to the crisis,” he added.
China will continue to stand on the side of peace and dialogue and is committed to promoting and facilitating peace talks and making a positive contribution to a political solution to the Ukraine crisis, the Chinese official stressed.
Saturday's emergency meeting came after Ukraine attacked the Russian border town of Belgorod.
Following Russia's massive missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, the Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Friday.
(Web editor: Zhao Jian, 周雨)