A Chinese envoy on Friday called for international peace efforts to solve the Ukraine crisis.

As the crisis in Ukraine drags on, tensions on the ground remain high and the spillover effects are spreading more rapidly, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, adding that the UN Security Council should work with a greater sense of responsibility and urgency to find ways to achieve a ceasefire and restore peace at an early date.

"Priority should be given to making good use of the mediation tools granted by the (UN) Charter to promote the implementation of various peace initiatives and to leverage the core role of the international collective security mechanism," Geng told the Security Council.

The Ukraine crisis has complex causes and there is "no easy fix," he said, adding that its resolution will take concerted efforts of all parties. "No matter how challenging it is, the door of political settlement cannot be closed; efforts to promote ceasefire and peace talks cannot relent; the process of diplomatic negotiations cannot stall."

China's position on the Ukraine crisis has been "consistent and clear," said Geng.

China has always maintained that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be safeguarded, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld, the legitimate security concerns of all parties should be taken seriously, and all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis should be supported, he added. 

China stands ready to strengthen dialogue and communication with all parties and will continue to make constructive efforts to promote the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, he said. 

Read more:

China releases position paper on Ukraine crisis political settlement

CGTN's special report on the Ukraine crisis

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: File photo of Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. /Xinhua)