UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 21 -- A Chinese envoy stressed here Thursday that tackling the underlying root causes of conflicts is the key to conflict prevention.

Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks at a Security Council meeting on conflict prevention.

"Conflict prevention should tackle both the root causes and symptoms, and resolve underlying and fundamental problems in political, economic, social, cultural and other fields," Liu told the meeting.

He noted that ethnic and religious contradictions, lack of development, poverty and weak capacity can only lead to sectarian tensions and aggregated social problems or even bloodshed.

The international community should "through an inclusive political dialogue, promote national reconciliation process and create a peaceful environment that is beneficial for the social harmony and ethnic unity" so as to prevent conflicts, said Liu.

"The United Nations and international financial development institutions should vigorously support developing countries, in particular post-conflict countries, in realizing economic and social development, enhancing capacity building, advocating social peace, reconciliation and harmony, increasing social cohesion, and preventing the burst of social discrimination and rivalry," he added.

Calling the UN Charter "the basis of conflict prevention," the Chinese envoy also underlined that a locally adapted approach is the necessary condition for success in such efforts.

"Countries have different national conditions and there are complex and diverse reasons for conflicts," Liu said, adding there are no quick-cut models and standards when it comes to conflict prevention.

Measures must be customized in view of local conditions in countries concerned, giving full consideration to differences between countries in terms of history, ethnic composition, religion, social and economic development levels to avoid hasty interventions which might disrupt or even affect efforts to seek peaceful settlement to conflicts, he said.

Liu urged the international community to strengthen their coordination and cooperation, which he said is the guarantee for smooth conflict prevention efforts.

The ambassador also said China will continue implementing the five principles of peaceful coexistence, support the UN and the Security Council in playing their due role in preventing conflicts, and make its own contribution to the realization of common security and lasting peace of the world.