Ambassador Zhang Jun (center) at the UN Security Council Briefing on Ukraine on Wednesday. China has taken over the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for August. Photo: VCG

The Ukraine crisis and recent tense developments globally show that we must be highly vigilant against any deliberate attempts to provoke troubles and intensify confrontation, and "we should never allow the world to slide into a new Cold War," Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) said at the UN Security Council briefing on Ukraine on Wednesday.

China's position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear. "We always maintain that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter upheld, the legitimate security concerns of all countries taken seriously, and all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis supported," Zhang said.

"Facts have proven that the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation must be firmly rejected," said Zhang. 

In over 30 years after the end of the Cold War, NATO keeps expanding eastward, which has not made Europe any safer, but sowed the seed of conflict, Zhang said. He also pointed out that in the 21st century, the Cold War mentality and zero-sum game are long-outdated concepts. "Obsessing over military forces and seeking absolute security will only lead to constant escalation of the regional situation, which is not in the interest of any party."

Zhang said that facts have proven that decoupling and choosing sides must be firmly rejected and double standard and selective application must be firmly rejected.

The economies around the world are deeply integrated. "Certain countries wantonly impose unilateral sanctions and long arm jurisdiction, and politicize and weaponize the economy, trade and technology, insist on decoupling and building 'small yard, high fence,' which have led to further difficulties in people's livelihoods in developing countries, and threatened the global food, energy and finance security," Zhang pointed out.

Upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity should not just stop at quotes, he said. All countries should actually abide by these principles in practice and should have consistency on different issues involving different countries while matching their words with deeds.

China consistently respects the sovereignty and territory integrity of other countries, and is determined to firmly safeguard its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, Zhang reiterated.