China calls for resumption of talks over Ukraine crisis

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Monday called for the early resumption of negotiations over the Ukraine crisis.

Peace cannot be achieved by feeding weapons into the battlefield, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, adding that prolonged fighting will only result in more civilian casualties.

"Diplomatic efforts must not be given up under any circumstances. We call for the prompt launch of direct engagement and the step-by-step resumption of negotiations with a view to forging consensus to end the hostilities," said Zhang.

He called on the international community and the United Nations to create enabling conditions to end hostilities, stressing that other relevant parties should refrain from counterproductive action or irresponsible rhetoric.

Zhang said that security is indivisible. No country should attempt to secure itself at the expense of another country's security, nor can regional security be guaranteed by muscling up or expanding a military bloc.

The envoy said that the consequences of NATO's eastward expansion indicate that seeking absolute security at the expense of other countries' security will only widen the security and trust deficit.

It would do nothing to make the world more peaceful and stable, and in this regard, NATO should do well to learn its lesson, he added.

Noting that Russia and Ukraine are neighbors who cannot escape each other, Zhang said their respective legitimate security concerns should be taken seriously.

The ultimate way out of the crisis lies in an effort on the part of Russia and Ukraine, as well as other parties concerned, to build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture guarded by the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, he said.

At a time when the Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues to drag on, and some hot-spot issues are at risk of flaring up, the world cannot afford to see geopolitical clashes further spreading, said Zhang.

Countries with significant influence should take a responsible approach and refrain from politicizing, instrumentalizing or weaponizing the world economy. Instead, countries should work together to maintain global food, energy and financial security and the stability of industrial and supply chains, Zhang added.

He noted that The Ukraine issue is where it is today due to a tangle of complex factors, which deserve serious reflection, emphasizing that complex problems may defy simple fixes.

Confronted with all these challenges, Zhang said the ultimate solution is to work harder to build a community with a shared future for humankind and shape a world with lasting peace and universal security.

Zhang said that China would continue to stand on the side of peace, justice and international security.