China has asked the United Nations to lead post-war efforts in Libya, the foreign ministry said, as it called for a smooth political transition in the violence-hit North African state. Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi also called on UN chief Ban Ki-moon to work with other regional organisations such as the African Union and the Arab League to restore order, the government said in a statement. “The UN should play a leading role in post-war arrangements in Libya,” Yang told Ban on Tuesday, according to a foreign ministry statement. “China hopes for a smooth transition of political power in Libya,” China spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in a statement.