'Rational voices' seeking peace grow louder

A Chinese envoy to the United Nations on Monday said the crisis in Ukraine stems from an "outbreak of security conflicts in Europe" and proves that pursuing absolute security, provoking confrontation and expanding military blocs "bring only turmoil and unrest to Europe and the world".

"The evolving situation on the battlefield demonstrates that military means cannot resolve the Ukrainian crisis," Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said at a UN Security Council meeting on Monday.

Geng said the continuation of armed conflict will bring only more suffering to civilians and may even lead to unpredictable and irreparable scenarios. No matter how long the crisis lasts, it will eventually be resolved through political means, he said.

"Rational voices" supporting the resumption of peace talks have become stronger and stronger, he said. Developing countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America all have put forward peace initiatives. They all reflect a strong will to resolve the crisis politically, Geng said.

He called on both parties to the conflict to meet each other halfway and explore solutions that accommodate each other's concerns, conform to regional realities and help bridge differences.

Geng also called for controlling the spillover effects of the crisis. It has made global food, energy and financial security more vulnerable, and developing countries will face more difficulties in achieving sustainable development goals.

"China appreciates the important role of the Black Sea grain transport package agreement in stabilizing the global grain market, and hopes that relevant parties can properly resolve the issue of Black Sea grain transport through dialogue and consultation," he said.

As the Pentagon said on Thursday that cluster munitions provided by the United States had arrived in Ukraine, Geng said: "The irresponsible transfer of cluster bombs can easily lead to humanitarian problems."