China on Friday welcomed the signing of a landmark deal to safely transfer Ukrainian grain, foodstuff and fertilizer to international markets under the supervision of the United Nations (UN). 

"Welcome the signing of the agreement! A very meaningful step," Zhang Jun, permanent representative of China to the UN, said in a tweet. 

"Hope the parties concerned will maintain the momentum of dialogue and foster conditions for the early restoration of peace," Zhang added. 

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'Beacon of hope: Deal signed to resume grain exports from Ukraine by sea

Zelenskyy: Grain export deal 'fully meets' Ukrainian interests

Earlier on Friday, Russia and Ukraine separately signed a deal with Türkiye and the UN to resume grain shipments from Ukrainian ports to international markets via the Black Sea. The initiative would allow significant volumes of commercial food and fertilizer exports from three key ports in the Black Sea – Odesa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny, the UN said in a statement on its website. 

Ukraine is among the world's leading grain exporters, supplying more than 45 million tons annually to the global market, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.  

However, its grain exports have been seriously disrupted amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has lasted nearly five months. UN reports have revealed that more than 800 million people around the world at the moment directly face the possibility of hunger, and the numbers could rise. 

The 76th session of the UN General Assembly on Monday held a High-level Special Event entitled "Time to Act Together: Coordinating Policy Responses to the Global Food Crisis." Zhang called on the international community to urgently support countries affected by the food crisis at the event. 

"This is the time for us to act together, not only to solve the food crisis in the short term, but also to improve global food and agriculture cooperation in the long run," he said on behalf of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI). 

China proposed the GDI in September last year to promote international cooperation to implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This year, China launched the Group of Friends of the GDI at UN Headquarters in New York. Sixty countries have joined the group. 

(With input from Xinhua) 

(Cover: File photo of Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations. /Website of Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the UN)