A Chinese envoy on Monday called for efforts to create an enabling atmosphere and conditions for direct negotiations over the Ukraine conflict.

The situation in Ukraine is changing sharply and has evolved to a point where China does not wish to see and where it is not in the interests of any party, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

The immediate priority is for all parties concerned to exercise restraint, prevent the worsening of the situation while stepping up diplomatic efforts aiming for a political solution, he told an emergency special session of the UN General Assembly on Ukraine.

"China welcomes the start of direct dialogues and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine," Zhang said, adding that Ukraine should serve as a bridge of communication between the East and the West, rather than an outpost for confrontation between major powers.

"We call for efforts to create an enabling atmosphere and conditions for direct negotiations between the parties concerned, as this is the fundamental way to resolve the issue," he said.

All actions taken by the United Nations and the relevant parties of the international community should prioritize regional peace and stability and universal security for all, and should help de-escalate tensions and facilitate a diplomatic settlement, he said, stressing that China does not approve of any approach that may exacerbate tensions.

China supports relevant UN agencies' continued work on humanitarian aid in Ukraine and believes that the safety of civilian life and property and their humanitarian needs should be effectively guaranteed, he said.

"As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China always earnestly fulfills its responsibility of maintaining international peace and security," said Zhang.

"It is our consistent and unequivocal position that all countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected, and that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld. China will continue to play a constructive role in the pursuit and realization of peace," he said.

A Cold-War mentality based on bloc confrontation should be abandoned, as nothing can be gained from stirring up a new Cold War and everyone stands to lose, he warned.

One country's security should not come at the expense of the other's, and regional security should not rely on reinforcing or even expanding military blocs, he said.

China supports the European Union, NATO and Russia in resuming dialogues, bearing in mind the concept of indivisible security, properly addressing the legitimate security concerns of all parties, including those of Russia, and striving to put in place a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism, so as to achieve lasting peace and stability on the European continent, he said.

At a UN Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine on Monday, Zhang reiterated China's stance that the safety of life and property of all civilians, including foreign nationals, and their humanitarian needs should be effectively guaranteed.

"It is of utmost importance to prevent a large-scale humanitarian crisis."

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(Cover: Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, addresses an emergency session of the UN General Assembly on Ukraine at the UN headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., February 28, 2022. /CFP)