China on Tuesday urged the Israelis and Palestinians to resume peace talks as early as possible to promote peace and stability in the Middle East.
Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, voiced this opinion at an open meeting of the UN Security Council.
The peace talks should adhere to the land-for-peace principle and the Arab Peace Initiative as well as relevant UN resolutions, Wu said, adding that an early resumption "serves the fundamental interests of the two sides."
"The two sides should exercise restraint and refrain from unilateral actions and use of force against civilians," he said.
"Israel should stop building settlements, abide by international law and lift its blockade against the Palestinians, especially in Gaza. At the same time, its legitimate security concerns must be respected," he said.
He voiced China's support for a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He urged the international community to draw lessons from other hot spots in the region and increase peace efforts on the basis of the work of the Middle East Quartet, which is composed of the United Nations, the European Union, Russia and the United States and seeks a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In a report released on July 1, the Quartet analyzed the impediments to a lasting solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and offers recommendations for the way forward, urging Israel to end its settlement policy and Palestine to stop inciting violence.
It reiterated that a negotiated two-state solution is the only way to achieve an enduring peace that meets both Israeli security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty.
The two-state solution, envisioning a secure Israel to live in peace with an independent state of Palestine, is widely backed by the international community.
Wu said new peace initiatives must be encouraged, the UN should play a central role in the peace process and any peace outcome must be approved by the UN Security Council, which, under the UN Charter, has the primary responsibility for maintaining peace and security in the world at large.
Wu said China always supports the restoration of legitimate Palestinian rights and welcomes all efforts to ease tensions and achieve a two-state solution.
Sponsored by the United States, the last round of direct Israeli-Palestinian direct peace talks, lasted nine months without resolving their disputes over Israeli settlements, borders of the Palestinian state and security issues.
