China urged Russia and Ukraine to resume direct talks to reach a ceasefire in a paper released on Friday, the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The paper by the Chinese Foreign Ministry is titled "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis."
It says, "The sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be effectively upheld."
It stresses the need to abandon "the Cold War mentality" and "work together for peace and stability on the Eurasian Continent."
The paper also calls on all parties to avoid "aggravating tensions" and "support Russia and Ukraine in working in the same direction and resuming direct dialogue as quickly as possible, so as to gradually deescalate the situation and ultimately reach a comprehensive ceasefire."
It points out, "Dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis," and urges the international community to "stay committed to the right approach of promoting talks for peace."
The text expresses China's opposition to the use of nuclear and chemical weapons and attacks against nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities. It also shows consideration for Russia, saying, "Unilateral sanctions and maximum pressure cannot solve the issue; they only create new problems."