Chinese envoy urges restraint to prevent further escalation in Middle East

UNITED NATIONS -- 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 or even spiraling out of control.

"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.

Lamenting the question of Palestine as "the biggest wound to human conscience," Fu warned that 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 pointe out, 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 Global South countries 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.