Zhang Jun (front), China's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks at a high-level roundtable on small states, multilateralism and international law at the UN headquarters in New York, on April 28, 2022. (XIE E / XINHUA)

UNITED NATIONS - A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called for efforts to open the door for a political settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.

The task at hand is to push the parties to open the door for a political settlement as soon as possible, to include the respective legitimate concerns in the negotiations, and to put all viable options on the table.

Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations

The recent developments in Ukraine show that peace must be pursued and upheld by all. Bloc confrontation, political isolation, sanctions, and pressurization will only lead to a dead end, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

"The task at hand is to push the parties to open the door for a political settlement as soon as possible, to include the respective legitimate concerns in the negotiations, and to put all viable options on the table," he told a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

The signing of the Black Sea Grain Initiative has already shown that even in conflict situations, diplomacy can produce results and bring hope, he said.

To uphold the international order based on international law and adhere to the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should not be mere political slogans, said Zhang.

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The Security Council, as the core of the international collective security mechanism, should make full use of the mediation tools given by the charter and stick to the right direction of cease-fire and peace talks. It should, in particular, take constructive and responsible actions to accumulate conditions and open up space for a political solution, he said.

The first UN-chartered vessel MV Brave Commander loads more than 23,000 tonnes of grain to export to Ethiopia, in Yuzhne, east of Odessa on the Black Sea coast, on Aug 14, 2022. (OLEKSANDR GIMANOV / AFP)

To uphold the international order based on international law and adhere to the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should not be mere political slogans, said Zhang

China will work with all peace-loving countries to continue to make unremitting efforts to de-escalate the situation and resolve the crisis, he added.

China has noted the latest changes in the situation in Ukraine and has listened carefully to the views expressed by the parties in this regard. 

China's position is consistent and clear: the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be observed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, and all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the crisis should be supported. 

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China has always stood on the side of peace with a commitment to promoting peace and dialogue, and will continue to play a constructive role, he said.