China on Tuesday urged all sides in Syria to avoid more violence, as the United Nations called on Damascus to halt a crackdown on dissent that has cost more than 2,200 lives.

The comments came after the United Nations ordered an investigation -- opposed by both China and Russia -- into violations committed by President Bashar al-Assad's regime following claims Syria had used a "shoot-to-kill" policy.

"China... calls on all sides in Syria to maintain the utmost restraint, refrain from violence, and avoid an escalation of the situation and more deaths and injury to the people," foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said.

"The parties involved should seek to peacefully and properly resolve the issue through dialolgue and consultations," he added. "The future of Syria should be decided by Syria itself."

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has drawn criticism for refusing to condemn Assad's regime. In July, it joined Russia in blocking a proposed UN resolution condemning Syria's crackdown.

Earlier this month, both countries did back a Security Council statement denouncing the crackdown, but US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton still urged Beijing to step up pressure on Assad.

UN rights chief Navi Pillay said Tuesday that more than 2,200 people had died in the Syrian regime's crackdown on pro-democracy protests in the country.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon also piled on the pressure, saying Assad had failed to keep promises, including one he made during a telephone conversation last week to halt the military crackdown.

"It is troubling that he has not kept his word," Ban told reporters. "Many world leaders have been speaking to him to halt immediately military operations, killing his own people. He should do that."

On Tuesday the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution to "dispatch an independent international commission of inquiry... to investigate alleged violations of international human rights law... in the Syrian Arab Republic".

The resolution was passed by 33 votes to four, with nine abstentions. China, Russia and Cuba led the opposition, saying the resolution was one-sided and politicised.

China's envoy said that by adopting the resolution, "the council will only complicate the situation, and injure the political process in Syria".

In his statement, Ma added that any action undertaken by the international community "must help promote the reform commitments of the Syrian government and encourage all sides to constructively participate in the political process".

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