Chinese envoy urges restraint to prevent further escalation in Middle East

A Chinese envoy on Monday urged all parties to exercise restraint and avoid inflammatory remarks and provocative actions to prevent the situation in the Middle East from further escalating.

"At present, there must not be any delay in maintaining peace in the Middle East," Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said at the UN General Assembly plenary meeting on the implementation of the outcomes of the major UN conferences and summits and the strengthening and reform of the UN system.

Calling the question of Palestine "the biggest wound to human conscience," Fu said the conflict in Gaza is still dragging on, causing more civilian casualties with each passing day, the fighting has spread to Lebanon, and a full-scale war sweeping the Middle East is "on the verge of breaking out."

"We call for the effective respect of the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of all countries, oppose all acts that violate basic norms governing international relations, and condemn all violent attacks against civilians," he said.

"Might must not take the place of justice," Fu said, stressing that Palestine's long-held aspiration to establish an independent state should not be shunned anymore, and the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people should not be ignored any longer.

"There must not be any delay in reaching a comprehensive ceasefire, and the fundamental way out lies in the two-state solution," he said.

On the Ukraine crisis, the ambassador said it is "still difficult to see an end," calling on all parties to put peace and people first and truly commit to promoting dialogue for peace and pushing for a political solution to the crisis.

The top priority, he said, is to commit to no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting, and no provocation by any party.

Fu noted that during this session of the UN General Assembly, China, Brazil and other countries in the Global South jointly launched the group of Friends for Peace, and its very purpose is to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, build consensus for a political settlement of the crisis, and contribute to a prospect of peace.

Faced with geopolitical conflicts occurring one after another, the Chinese envoy pointed out the international community expects more and better from the Security Council.

"Reasonable reform of the Security Council is necessary," Fu stressed, adding that the key is to ensure the right direction, to truly enhance the representation and voice of the vast developing countries, including African countries, and allow more small- and medium-sized countries with independent foreign policies to participate in the decision-making of the Security Council.

"The Security Council must not be allowed to become a club of the rich and the big, much less an arena for geopolitical confrontation and bloc politics," said Fu.

(With input from Xinhua)