China supports Security Council's role in Ukraine's humanitarian issue

UNITED NATIONS, March 23 (Xinhua) -- China's permanent representative to the UN Zhang Jun on Wednesday expressed his hope that the UN Security Council would play a meaningful role in handling the humanitarian situation in Ukraine after the council failed to adopt a resolution submitted by Russia.

The 15-member UN Security Council on Wednesday failed to adopt a resolution on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. Two members -- Russia and China -- voted in favor of the text submitted by Russia while 13 others abstained.

"We advocate that the Security Council should fulfill its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and play its due role in the humanitarian issue of Ukraine," Zhang said in his explanatory remarks after the vote.

China's vote "was based on our call for the international community to attach high importance to the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, and for the parties concerned to strengthen coordination on humanitarian issues, so as to effectively protect the safety of civilians, especially women, children and other vulnerable groups, and to facilitate the personnel evacuation and humanitarian relief operations," Zhang said.

Over the past few weeks, the council has had repeated consultations on the draft resolutions proposed by France, Mexico as well as Russia, and China has actively participated in the consultations, and has always called on all parties to focus on the humanitarian issue, transcend political differences and do their best to seek consensus, he said.

"We welcome the coordinating role of the UN in humanitarian assistance," said Zhang.

It is "heart-wrenching" to see the reports of increased civilian casualties, rising numbers of refugees and serious shortfalls in humanitarian reliefs in Ukraine, he said.

According to the ambassador, China has put forward a six-point initiative on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and provided humanitarian relief supplies to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, and welcomes any initiative that can help alleviate and resolve the humanitarian crisis.

The envoy stressed that China adheres to an independent foreign policy, and has always determined its position on issues in a responsible manner based on the merits of the matter itself.

"On Ukraine, China has always insisted that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld, that the legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, and that all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the crisis should be supported," he said.

"The long-term solution lies in abandoning the Cold-War mentality, refraining from bloc confrontations, and gradually putting in place a balanced, effective and sustainable global and regional security architecture. China will continue to promote talks for peace, speak out for peace, and do its best for peace," Zhang said.