China urged the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to respect Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and truly contribute to regional peace, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday during a regular press briefing.

The Kosovo Force (KFOR), a NATO-led peacekeeping mission to Kosovo, and Kosovo police clashed with Serb protesters on Monday. Around 25 NATO soldiers were injured, according to KFOR, while Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that 52 Serbs were injured.

Regarding the escalating tensions in the region, Mao said that China is closely following the developments, adding that China supports Serbia's effort to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The spokesperson vowed opposition to unilateral actions by the temporary institutions in Pristina and called on it to perform its duty of establishing an association/community of Serb majority municipalities.

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25 NATO soldiers, 52 Serbs injured in clashes in northern Kosovo

(Cover: Serbs from Kosovo face riot police during their gathering to demand the removal of recently elected Albanian mayors outside municipal building in the town of Zvecan, May 29, 2023. /CFP)