UNITED NATIONS - A Chinese envoy said on Tuesday that dialogue and consultation are the only correct choice to resolve the Yemen issue, and called on all parties concerned to jointly promote a Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned comprehensive political process. 

In remarks at the United Nations Security Council briefing on Yemen, Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said China is deeply worried about the current situation in the Middle East and its future trajectory. 

"We believe that the top priority is to push for the de-escalation of the situation and to prevent the expansion of the conflict," Geng said, calling on all parties concerned to keep calm, remain restrained, and refrain from any action that will further escalate tensions. 

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Stressing that dialogue and consultation are the only correct choice to resolve the Yemen issue, the ambassador called on all parties concerned to stay committed to the general direction of political settlement, resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, and jointly promote a Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned comprehensive political process. 

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"All parties should act in good faith, jointly advance the implementation of the agreements on banking and aviation issues, and gradually accumulate mutual trust," he said, calling on all parties to support the work of UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg in order to make tangible progress in the political settlement of the Yemeni issue as soon as possible. 

Noting that the continuing tension in the Red Sea does not serve the common interests of the international community, he urged the Houthis to respect the right of navigation of commercial ships of all countries in the Red Sea in accordance with international law and to cease their attacks and harassment in order to keep waterways in the Red Sea safe. 

Geng also called on the international community to increase humanitarian and development input in Yemen, and encouraged all parties to strengthen communication to facilitate the unconditional release of all UN personnel as soon as possible. "The situation in Yemen is closely linked to the situation in the Middle East," the envoy said, warning that the Gaza conflict has already caused an unprecedented humanitarian disaster and is increasingly dragging the entire region into the quagmire of war and conflict. 

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"At this critical moment, the situation must not be allowed to deteriorate further and go down a road of no return," he said, adding that the Security Council must remain united and take measures to stop reckless military adventurism, which in disregard of consequences may expand the conflict. 

"We should push for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and the de-escalation of the tension between Lebanon and Israel to avoid a bigger catastrophe in the Middle East," he said.