Chinese Ambassador to the UN: "Civilian Attacks Unacceptable... Circumstances Must Be Investigated"

Mentioned Bucha Civilian Massacre in Ukraine
Urges Restraint in Judgment Until Responsibility Is Clarified

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations expressed regret over the massacre of unarmed civilians in Bucha, Ukraine, making an unusual mention of the situation. However, he avoided criticizing Russia and emphasized that blame should be avoided until the circumstances are clarified.

On the 5th (local time), Bloomberg reported that Zhang Jun, the Chinese ambassador to the UN, stated at a United Nations Security Council meeting held at the UN headquarters in New York, USA, "Attacks on civilians are unacceptable and must not occur," adding, "The reports and footage of civilian deaths in Bucha are very shocking."

However, he also stressed that judgment should be withheld until it is specifically revealed who is responsible.

Ambassador Zhang Jun said, "The circumstances and specific causes of the incident must be confirmed and clarified," and "Everyone should exercise restraint and avoid groundless accusations."

U.S. President Joe Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin could face war crimes trials related to civilian deaths in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, and other Ukrainian towns abandoned by Russian soldiers.

Although the International Criminal Court has launched an investigation, Russia denies that its troops killed civilians, claiming that photos of bodies scattered on the streets were fabricated in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Chinese state media including the overseas edition of the People's Daily, CCTV's military channel, and China Daily posted Ambassador Zhang Jun's remarks on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, on Wednesday, but they did not attract significant attention locally.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.