China on Monday called for "positive and constructive role" of the international community on Syria, saying that the UN action on Syria "should comply with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter" and the basic norms guiding the international relations.

Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, made the statement as he was addressing the UN General Assembly, which met on Monday to discuss the human rights situation in Syria.

"The international community should play a positive and constructive role," Wang said. "The actions of the United Nations on the Syrian issue should comply with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms governing international relations, help ease the tensions, help promote political dialogue and defuse disputes, and help maintain peace and stability in the Middle East region, rather than complicate the issue," he said.

"China consistently maintains that constructive dialogue and cooperation is the only right way to promote and protect human rights," Wang said, adding that China has been all along closely following the developments in Syria.

China has carefully studied the report of the UN Human Rights Council on Syria, and "listened attentively" to the Monday briefing to the 193-member General Assembly on Syria by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, he said.

"We support the good offices made by the Arab League and Arab countries to resolve the Syrian issue peacefully and properly, so as to promote early launch of an inclusive political process led by the Syrian people and extensively participated by all parties, resolve differences and disputes through dialogue and negotiations, and restore stability in Syria," he said. "That is in the common interests of Syria, Arab countries and the international community. "

"Syria is an important country in the Middle East," he said. " Peace and stability in Syria serves the common interests of the Syrian people and the international community."

"We call on all parties in Syria to stop violence, avoid casualties of innocent civilians in particular, restore order in the country as soon as possible, and respect the aspirations of the Syrian people for change and protection of their own interests, " he said.

"On the Syrian issue, China neither shelters nor intentionally opposes anyone," Wang said. "China takes an objective, just and responsible approach."

"China is always committed to upholding the fundamental and long-term interests of the Syrian people, maintaining peace and stability of Syria and the region, and safeguarding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms governing international relations," he said.

"Our purpose is to shield the Syrian people form conflicts and warfare," Wang said.

"China always maintains that, in handling international relations, countries should refrain from resort to use or threat of force, nor should they push through regime change," he said. "China believes that sanctions and pressures are not conducive to proper settlement of problems."

"This is China's consistent position of principle and its long- standing foreign," he said. "It serves the overall interests of the international community, particularly the immediate and long- term interests of the small and medium-sized countries and developing countries."

"China has done a great deal of work to ease the situation in Syria," Wang said. "China will continue to work with other member states and play a positive role in the peaceful and proper settlement of the Syrian issue while fully respecting the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria."