UNITED NATIONS - China on Thursday called for greater efforts to avoid more civilian casualties in Libya and urged all parties concerned to immediately observe a ceasefire in the North African country.  

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The statement came as Li Baodong, the Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, was speaking at the closed consultations of the UN Security Council on Libya.

"The relevant Security Council resolution is aimed at the humanitarian protection, rather than creating more civilian casualties and a bigger humanitarian catastrophe," Li said, referring to Resolution 1973, which authorized a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians in the North African nation.

China, together with other four Council members, abstained from voting on the draft resolution on March 17.

"We call upon all parties concerned to cease fire immediately in order to avoid the escalation of the conflict and further worsening of the already intensified situation in the region," Li said.