The United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on the situation in Syria, at the UN headquarters in New York, on July 30, 2019. The UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock on Tuesday said the intensified bombing in Idlib of Syria has been hitting civilian targets in the past three months, destroying at least 17 villages. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

 
A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called on the international community to support the Syrian government's efforts on social and economic reconstruction in parts of the country where the security situation is relatively stable.

Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks at a UN Security Council meeting on Syria.

He said the Syrian government has been actively clearing up explosive remnants of war, rebuilding infrastructure, restoring public services, promoting development, and improving lives, noting these efforts deserve recognition.

Moreover, he said economic sanctions have dealt a heavy blow to Syrian lives and do not help improve the humanitarian situation across Syria.

Enabling more and more Syrians to emerge out of the shadow of war and lead peaceful, stable, and orderly lives should be the common objective of the international community, he stressed.

Before Wu spoke, Mark Lowcock, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, briefed the council members on the situation in Syria.

Lowcock said the intensified bombing in Idlib of Syria has been hitting civilian targets in the past three months, destroying at least 17 villages.

Describing the bombing and shelling as "carnage," the UN humanitarian chief urged the council members to act on the escalation of conflict since late April.