"All parties concerned must exercise restraint and avoid any action that may fuel tensions," said China's permanent representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Ukraine on Monday.
Zhang said that China has been paying close attention to the latest developments of the situation in Ukraine. "We have fully elaborated on our position at the previous two meetings of the Security Council."
"We welcome and encourage every effort for a diplomatic solution, and call on all parties concerned to continue dialogue and consultation," Zhang stressed, “and seek reasonable solutions to address each other's concerns on the basis of equality and mutual respect.”
Zhang said that the current situation in Ukraine is a result of many complex factors.
China always makes its own position according to the merits of the matter, Zhang added. “We believe that all countries should solve international disputes by peaceful means in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.”
The meeting was held at the request of Kiev, the United States, five European nations and Mexico.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed two decrees recognizing "the Lugansk People's Republic" and "the Donetsk People's Republic" as independent and sovereign states.
(Compiled by Zhu Yingqi; video edited by Xiao Jiabin)
