China calls for an early resumption of grain and fertilizer exports from Russia and Ukraine, Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), said on Friday during a UN Security Council meeting.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative and the memorandum of understanding on Russian Federation food and fertilizer exports are of great significance to safeguarding the global food supply and stabilizing the global food market, and should be implemented in a balanced, comprehensive and effective manner, and the legitimate concerns of the parties concerned should be addressed, Geng said.

China hopes the parties concerned will work together with the relevant UN agencies, strengthen dialogue and consultation, adhere to the principle of mutual benefit, seek a balanced solution to the legitimate concerns of all parties, and resume the export of grain and fertilizer from Russia and Ukraine at an early date, in the light of the overall situation of safeguarding international food security, in particular the need to alleviate the food crisis in developing countries, he added.

The situation on the ground in Ukraine has continued to escalate, and important civilian infrastructure has been attacked, Geng noted.

After Moscow suspended its participation in the grain deal on July 17, it attacked Ukrainian food export facilities, triggering concerns over global food security.

China calls on the parties concerned to remain calm and exercise restraint, strictly abide by international humanitarian law, avoid attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, and make every effort to curb the expansion of the conflict and prevent the triggering of a humanitarian crisis on a larger scale, he added. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would talk with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin soon about an extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the state-run TRT broadcaster reported on Friday.

Erdogan said Moscow's expectations over the grain initiative should be realized, as Russia has complained that its demands to improve its own grain and fertilizer exports have not been met.

(Cover: A grain ship off the Black Sea in Istanbul, Türkiye, July 17, 2023. /CFP)