China urges all sides to exercise restraint in Ukraine crisis
China urges all sides to seek "reasonable solutions" to the conflict, while also acknowledging the complexity of the situation.
China's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) Zhang Jun, called on all sides in the Ukraine crisis to exercise restraint, reiterating China's position on the matter, which is the safeguarding of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
Speaking at the plenary meeting of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, Jun said, "In the current context, all parties concerned should exercise restraint and avoid taking any action that may aggravate tensions."
"China has been paying attention to the evolving situation in Ukraine. China's position on safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states has been consistent. The purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be jointly upheld."
However, the position does not overrule the complexity of the situation, which the Chinese envoy acknowledged: "We note that the issue of Ukraine is rooted in a complex web of historical and present factors. An interplay of those factors has driven the situation to this point."
China called on restraint and to seek "reasonable solutions" to the conflict.
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"China calls on all parties to recognize the importance of implementing the principle of indivisible security, to continue to engage in dialogue and consultation and to seek reasonable solutions that address each other's concerns through peaceful means on the basis of equality and mutual respect. We welcome and encourage all efforts aimed at facilitating a diplomatic solution," Jun said.
The principle of indivisible security, which is a compartment of the 1975 Helsinki Act, entails that if the actions of one state threaten the security of another state, the principle is violated,
Beijing has stressed multiple times that the security of one country should not be achieved at the expense of another country, and that regional security should not rely upon the formation of strengthening military blocs.