Soldiers of the Southern Transitional Council leave the southern province of Abyan, Yemen, on December 16, 2020. (Str/Xinhua)

China called for upholding Yemen's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and hoped parties will put the Yemeni people's interests first and create conditions for restoring peace and tranquility in Yemen at an early date, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

The spokesperson said in response to a question that recently there have been changes in the situation in southern Yemen. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement, asking the Southern Transitional Council to stop military escalation in light of the overall interests of the people of Yemen. The United Arab Emirates (UAE)'s Foreign Ministry released a statement welcoming Saudi Arabia's efforts to support security and stability in Yemen.

In response, the spokesperson said China is following the situation in southern Yemen, and hopes parties will respond to the peace efforts of regional countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and the international community, resolve differences and disputes through political dialogue in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the initiative of the Gulf Cooperation Council, find a solution that accommodates all parties' legitimate concerns, and create conditions for restoring peace and tranquility in Yemen at an early date.

China will continue to promote talks for peace in its own way and play a constructive role for the early realization of a political settlement of the Yemen issue, the spokesperson said.

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Saturday called on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation, as tensions mount in Yemen's eastern governorates of Hadramout and Al-Mahrah, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

In a statement posted on social media platform X, Grundberg reiterated the UN secretary-general's call for "restraint, de-escalation and dialogue," urging all parties to avoid actions that could further complicate the situation. He underscored the importance of ongoing regional mediation efforts, noting that he remains engaged with Yemeni and regional stakeholders in support of de-escalation and progress toward "a comprehensive and inclusive political solution" to the conflict in Yemen.

Grundberg made the remarks after Saudi Arabia carried out airstrikes on Friday targeting Southern Transitional Council sites, including positions of the Hadrami Elite Forces in the Ghayl bin Yamin area near key oil fields, Xinhua reported.