China calls for political settlement of Syrian issue, ceasefire in Middle East

The international community should remain firmly committed to a political settlement of the Syrian issue, support the early restoration of peace and stability in Syria, and promote an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East, said a Chinese envoy on Wednesday.

Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said at a UN Security Council meeting on the Syrian issue that although there have been some positive developments in the current situation in Syria, multiple challenges remain in the political transition, counter-terrorism efforts, and humanitarian situation.

In their briefings, UN officials stated that the escalation of the situation in the Middle East is bringing new impacts to an already fragile Syria. They called on the Security Council to increase its support by continuing diplomatic efforts to de-escalate conflicts and prevent further spillover of regional warfare, sustaining critical humanitarian aid, and promoting long-term investment in Syria's economic recovery and development.

Fu said that China supports Syria in advancing its domestic political process under the "Syrian-led, Syrian-owned" principle, with all Syrian parties encouraged to engage in inclusive dialogue to advance the political reconciliation process. China also commends the efforts made by the Office of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, and supports its continued work in accordance with its mandate.

In terms of security issues, Fu said that the terrorist forces still pose a serious threat to regional peace and security, and reiterated China’s firm opposition to all forms of terrorism and double standard in the fight against terrorism. China called on the Syrian transitional government to fulfill its international obligations and take effective measures to resolutely combat all international terrorist organizations designated by the Security Council, including the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Fu said.

The international community should adhere to a people-centered approach and focus on alleviating the severe humanitarian situation in Syria. China calls for increasing humanitarian assistance to Syria and making greater efforts to ease the humanitarian crisis, Fu said.

Discussions on the Syrian issue cannot be separated from the overall situation in the Middle East. The current ongoing conflicts in the region are posing greater risks to peace and stability, Fu noted.

"The situation across the Middle East is being driven toward a dangerous precipice, a development that is deeply concerning. Prolonged conflict will only inflict greater suffering on the people of the region while generating severe negative repercussions for both regional stability and the global economy. China calls for an immediate ceasefire, prevent further escalation, and bring all parties to return to dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible. China stands ready to continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace," said Fu.

The U.S. dollar strengthened in late trading on Wednesday.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major peers, went up 0.52 percent to 100.092 at 15:00 (1900 GMT).

In late New York trading, the euro declined to 1.1516 dollars from 1.1542 dollars in the previous session, and the British pound fell to 1.3341 dollars from 1.3360 dollars in the previous session.

The U.S. dollar bought 159.41 Japanese yen, higher than 159.00 Japanese yen in the previous session. The U.S. dollar rose to 0.7902 Swiss francs from 0.7847 Swiss francs, and it advanced to 1.3701 Canadian dollars from 1.3697 Canadian dollars. The U.S. dollar climbed to 9.3346 Swedish kronor from 9.2737 Swedish kronor.