Chinese envoy calls for restraint following Poland drone incident

UNITED NATIONS - A Chinese envoy on Friday called on all parties concerned to stay calm and avoid misunderstanding and misjudgment following the Poland drone incident.

China has taken note of the recent statements and responses from Poland, Russia and Belarus in relation to the drone incident. China calls on all parties to exercise calm and restraint, properly settle disputes through dialogue and consultation, avoid misunderstanding and misjudgment, and prevent any possible expansion or escalation of the situation, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

"In the current context, any misunderstanding or misjudgment will deepen the trust deficit. Any confrontational rhetoric may spark an escalation. Any military clash could trigger broader instability," Geng warned in his remarks to the Security Council.

China always maintains that all countries should conduct international relations in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, he said.

This drone incident is the result of a spillover of the Ukraine crisis, Geng said, noting what the international community needs most at present is goodwill rather than hostility, mutual accommodation rather than military confrontation, and de-escalation rather than further escalation.

China calls on all parties to adhere to the three principles of no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of the fighting, and no provocation by any party, and act without delay to promote de-escalation, he said.

"We urge the parties concerned to demonstrate political will, sustain the momentum of peace talks, continue building consensus and strive to reach a peace agreement as soon as possible. We also call on the international community and regional countries to foster a positive atmosphere, create favorable conditions and provide necessary assistance to this end," he said.

China's position on the Ukraine issue has been objective, impartial and consistent. China is committed to promoting peace talks and seeking a political solution. China stands ready to continue working with the international community to play a constructive role in promoting an early political settlement of the crisis, he said.

The Polish military shot down drones over Poland after its airspace was repeatedly violated overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. Russia has rejected the accusation made by Poland, the EU and NATO that it launched the drones.