Li Baodong, China’s Ambassador to the United Nations, votes to abstain for the United Nations Security Council Libya resolution calling for a no-fly zone and ‘all necessary measures’ against forces loyal to Moamer Qadhafi, March 17, 2011 at UN headquarters in New York. The vote was 10-yes and 5 abstained - China, Russia, Germany, India and Brazil. –Photo by AFP

BEIJING: China on Tuesday reiterated its opposition to the use of force in Libya amid Western air strikes there and called for an immediate ceasefire in the country’s conflict.

However, a government spokeswoman did not make clear whether she was referring to a ceasefire by Western powers or repeating China’s earlier calls for a halt of hostilities between the government and rebels in the North African state.

“We oppose the use of force that could result in more civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters.

She had been asked for China’s position on the current situation, in which multinational forces including Britain, France and the United States have begun bombarding Libya.

The missile bombardment from air and sea began at the weekend to enforce a United Nations-mandated no-fly zone and to protect rebels from Moamer Qadhafi’s forces.

China and Russia were the most prominent voices in opposition to military action in Libya within the 15-member United Nations Security Council.

However, neither used their veto to block the UN resolution authorising the operation, instead abstaining in the Security Council vote on the issue.