China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu (Front) addresses a Security Council emergency meeting on Syria at the UN headquarters in New York, on April 14, 2018. (File Photo: Xinhua)

China on Tuesday called for a balanced solution to the Ukraine crisis by taking into account the legitimate concerns of all parties.

The Ukraine issue is a complex one and should be tackled by addressing the root causes, Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, told the Security Council.

China believes that the settlement of the issue should take into account the legitimate rights and aspirations of the various regions and ethnic groups within Ukraine, and at the same time address the legitimate concerns of all the relevant parties in order to strike a balance, said Ma.

China holds that the parties should implement Security Council Resolution 2202, stop the violence, implement the Minsk Agreements and seek a comprehensive, lasting and balanced solution through dialogue and consultations, he said.

The international community should continue to support diplomatic efforts of relevant parties. Discussions in the Security Council should be conducive to a mitigation of the situation and to the resolution of the issue, he said.

China has been following the developments in eastern Ukraine and is concerned about the clashes and civilian casualties, he said.

The conflict in Ukraine's eastern region of Donbas started in April 2014, after government forces launched offensives to regain control of the cities and towns seized by armed groups which had declared independence from Kiev.

The situation in the region has escalated in recent weeks, with civilians killed and injured in conflicts.