Chinese envoy urges Russia, Ukraine to start peace talks at early date

A Chinese envoy on Wednesday urged once again Russia and Ukraine to remain calm, exercise restraint and start peace talks at an early date to realize a ceasefire.

China is deeply concerned and worried about the intensified fighting, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations Geng Shuang said at a UN Security Council briefing on Ukraine issue.

Sadly, the Ukraine crisis has been dragging on to this day, and the recent fighting on the ground has become ever more intense. The number of weapons on the battlefield is still increasing, and the variety is expanding. Long-range weapons and cluster bombs have been used, causing serious infrastructure damage and heavy casualties. Recently, there have even been reports that anti-personnel mines will be used in combat, he said.

Noting the Ukraine crisis has now reached a critical moment, Geng pointed out that the international community has recently seen increasingly stronger calls for peace, and discussions on ending the war have increased significantly.

Some ideas and proposals as well as the reactions by the parties have appeared in the media, he added.

China calls on the international community to make greater efforts to form consensus, jointly scale up peace efforts, and create synergy in promoting peace talks, Geng said.

China's position on the Ukraine issue is consistent, which is to promote peace talks and a political settlement, Geng said, adding China is ready to work with all parties, including the Global South, to continue the unremitting efforts to promote peace and the political settlement of the crisis at an early date.

"Promoting an early political settlement of the Ukraine crisis requires the joint efforts of the international community. Since the outbreak the crisis, China has always been making every effort for promoting peace and talks. We call on all parties, including the United States, to work with China to make genuine efforts to end the war," Geng said.

Chinese envoy urges Russia, Ukraine to start peace talks at early date

Chinese envoy urges Russia, Ukraine to start peace talks at early date

Chinese envoy urges Russia, Ukraine to start peace talks at early date

A Chinese Olympic champion on Thursday has vowed to carry forward the spirit of Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) who sacrificed their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953).

The remains of 43 CPV soldiers were returned to China on Thursday from the Republic of Korea (ROK).

A Y-20 aircraft of the Chinese Air Force carrying the remains landed at the Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, and received a water salute on Thursday.

Chinese star skater and Winter Olympic champion Wu Dajing, who attended the reception ceremony at the airport, said these heroes' spirit of fearing neither hardship, fatigue nor death is very touching. Now as a coach, he will definitely carry on this noble spirit and pass it to the next generation.

"These martyrs, these heroes might not have been as old as me before they went to the battlefield. They were the most adorable young people. They fought bravely in such a harsh environment at the front, and sacrificed their lives to defend our country. So we should learn from their spirit, carry it on the competition field, pursue excellence in the face of challenges, and always determined to fear neither hardship, fatigue nor death in the competition field," said Wu.

"I want to tell them that China has prospered as you wished, and this is what we young people want to say to these martyrs. We should, together with young newcomers, carry forward and practice the martyrs' spirit in our daily life, so that we will be inspired and full of fighting spirit every day to do our own work well," he said.

The remains will be laid to rest in a martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

This marks the 11th repatriation of CPV martyrs' remains since the signing of a handover agreement between China and the ROK.

From 2014 to 2023, the two countries, in accordance with international laws and humanitarian principles, successfully handed over the remains of 938 CPV martyrs, along with related artifacts.

Chinese Olympic champion vows to carry forward CPV martyrs' spirit in competition, life