China Urges Calm, Restraint in Resolving Crimea

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and Russia's Vladimir Putin (R). Archive photo by EPA/BGNES

The President of China, Xi Jinping, has urged Barack Obama and Angela Merkel to pursue all possible diplomatic means for resolving the Ukraine crisis.

China has been mostly on stand-by so far and refrained from expressing a clear position on the situation in Crimea. However, the country’s President has made private phone calls to the leaders of the United States and Germany over the weekend to discuss the issue.

“The situation in Ukraine is extremely complex, and what is most urgent is for all sides to remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid an escalation in tensions”, China’s Foreign Ministry cited Xi Jinping as telling President Obama, The Guardian reports.

China is also open to any diplomatic suggestions and proposals, which would be geared towards easing the tension in Ukraine, the statement adds.

Foreign policy analysts suggest that China’s cautious approach to the Crimean crisis stems from its delicate ethnic situation domestically, with several autonomous regions having expressed a desire to secede from Beijing’s rule. Acts of separatist terrorism have been on the rise over past months in the Asian country.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!