Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi elaborated China's positions on key international and regional issues at the UN on Saturday, calling peace "the most precious thing in our world today".

"You may wonder if there is a path leading to peace. In fact, peace is the path. Without peace, development will not sustain; without peace, cooperation cannot happen. For the sake of peace, a single ray of hope is reason enough not to give up; the slightest chance deserves a hundredfold effort," Wang said.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, addressed China's positions during his speech at the general debate of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Saturday.

On the Ukrainian crisis, Wang said, "an end to the Ukraine crisis remains elusive". The top priority is to commit to "no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting and no provocation by any party," and a push for the de-escalation of the situation as soon as possible.

He said China is committed to "playing a constructive role, engaging in shuttle mediation and promoting talks for peace, not throwing oil on the fire or exploiting the situation for selfish gains," adding that Brazil and other Global South countries have jointly launched the group of Friends for Peace.

Wang co-hosted a ministerial meeting with Brazil on Friday for the newly launched "Friends of Peace" platform on the Ukraine crisis

Wang called the Palestinian question "the biggest wound to human conscience". China "has always been a staunch supporter of the just cause of the Palestinian people to regain their legitimate national rights, and a staunch supporter of Palestine's full UN membership," Wang said.

Wang noted that China has recently helped to bring about breakthroughs in intra-Palestine reconciliation, and he said China "will continue to work in concert with like-minded countries for a comprehensive and just settlement of the question of Palestine and durable peace and security in the Middle East."

On the issue of Afghanistan, Wang called to help Afghanistan exercise prudent governance, fight terrorism effectively, improve people's life and reinvigorate the economy, to open up a better future for the Afghan people.

The Korean Peninsula should not experience war again, said Wang. "The important thing is to make persistent effort for de-escalation, commit to seeking solutions through dialogue and consultation, realize a transition from the armistice to a peace mechanism, and safeguard peace and stability on the Peninsula," he said.

In today's world, the security of all countries is tied together, the development of all countries is deeply integrated, each civilization has its own strengths, and countries should all enjoy sovereign equality, Wang said.

In the face of uneven and inadequate global development, China's proposal is to put development at the top of the global agenda, focus on delivering the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda, increase input in development, and help developing countries better respond to different risks and challenges.

"In the face of unilateral, bullying acts such as sanctions and blockade, China firmly supports countries in defending their legitimate rights, upholding the equity and openness of the international system, making global development more coordinated and beneficial for all, and jointly opposing technology blockade and rejecting decoupling or severing supply chains," Wang said.

Regarding ecological challenges, China is firmly committed to a path of green, low-carbon and sustainable development. Regarding the burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI), China is committed to taking a people-centered approach, developing AI for good, and putting equal emphasis on development and security.

Regarding human rights protection, China maintains that all countries' right to independently choose their path of human rights development should be respected, Wang said.

minluzhang@chinadailyusa.com