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UNITED NATIONS, July 2-- A Chinese envoy on Thursday asked the Security Council to push for positive responses to the UN secretary-general's appeal for a global cease-fire amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As it has adopted a resolution endorsing the appeal, the Security Council should work to accelerate its realization, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations. The international community should seize the opportunity to encourage the parties to conflicts to respond to the appeal, immediately cease hostilities, jointly fight the pandemic, save lives and seek peaceful settlements through political and diplomatic means, he told a high-level debate on the implications of COVID-19 on international peace and security. Zhang also asked the Security Council to step up humanitarian assistance and make every effort to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers. The Security Council should urge relevant countries to immediately lift unilateral sanctions that might affect a country's capacity to respond to COVID-19, he said. The Security Council should also explore ways to eliminate unilateral coercive measures so as to lessen people's sufferings in affected countries. COVID-19 continues to rage across the world. All countries face the daunting tasks of fighting the disease, saving lives, stabilizing the economy and ensuring livelihood, said Zhang. "We must put people and life first, do our utmost to protect people's safety and health, and minimize the impact of the virus. The pandemic once again proves that we live in a global village and have a shared destiny." | 
