China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu (C, Front) addresses a United Nations Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 22, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese envoy to the United Nations (UN) on Thursday urged the international community to support the parties involved in the Syrian crisis to resume dialogue, amid the escalating situation in the war-torn country.

Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said at the UN Security Council briefing on Syria that efforts should be made to seek a solution accepted by all parties through the Syrian-owned and Syrian-led political process.

Recently, the security situation in parts of Syria, including its capital Damascus and the Eastern Ghouta region, has escalated, causing large civilian casualties and attracting a lot of attention from the international community, Ma said, adding that China would like to express its profound sympathy to the Syrian people for their sufferings.

"We condemn all acts of violence that target civilians and civilian facilities and hurt innocent lives," Ma said.

China always insists that there is no military solution to the Syrian issue, he said, adding that political settlement is the only way out.

"It is the only way to fundamentally ease the humanitarian situation in Syria and rid the Syrian people of their sufferings at an early date," Ma said.

Terrorist organizations are still launching attacks in Syria, which have caused large civilian casualties and impeded the humanitarian relief efforts of the United Nations, he said.

The international community should strengthen cooperation on counter-terrorism, adopt unified standards, and resolutely combat all terrorist organizations designated by the Security Council, Ma said.

Actions taken by the Security Council on Syria's humanitarian issue should not only help improve the overall humanitarian situation in Syria, but also help consolidate the momentum of ceasefire in Syria, and be conducive to the bigger picture of political settlement of the Syria issue, the Chinese envoy said.

China calls upon the Security Council to remain united on the Syrian issue, take a united stance, and create favorable conditions for substantive progress in Syria's political process as soon as possible, Ma said.

The Syrian army on Thursday urged civilians in Eastern Ghouta, east of Damascus, to leave their houses, ahead of a military offensive.

The civilians were instructed to take safe exits to move to areas under the Syrian army's control.

The Syrian army launched operations on the outskirts of Eastern Ghouta and shelled the rebel positions on Sunday.

Eastern Ghouta, home to around 350,000 civilians, has long been a major threat to Damascus. It was used by rebels as a base to launch attacks against the capital.

Four key rebel groups are positioned inside Eastern Ghouta, namely the Islam Army, Failaq al-Rahman, Ahrar al-Sham and the Levant Liberation Committee, also known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.