China has called for restraint following Russia’s threats of massive strikes on Kyiv
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commented during a press briefing on Russia’s threats to escalate the war in Ukraine and the possibility of massive missile strikes on Kyiv, according to Ukrinform.
In response to a question from a Ukrinform correspondent, she stated that China’s position on the ‘Ukrainian crisis’ – as the PRC officially refers to Russia’s war against Ukraine – remains ‘consistent and clear’.
“We believe that dialogue and negotiations are the only viable way to resolve the conflict,” said Mao Ning.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson also called on the parties not to escalate hostilities and to facilitate the resumption of the negotiation process.
“We call on the relevant parties to work together to halt the escalation as soon as possible and create conditions for the resumption of dialogue and negotiations,” she stated.
When asked whether China would evacuate diplomats from its embassy in Kyiv, Mao Ning gave neither a positive nor a negative answer.
The report notes that following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, the Chinese embassy was one of the few to remain in Kyiv. It was only in March that the diplomatic mission was evacuated to Lviv.
China officially declares neutrality regarding the Russia-Ukraine war and does not refer to Russia as an aggressor. Beijing also refrains from actively participating in international initiatives aimed at ending hostilities.
Chinese officials regularly call for de-escalation, a ceasefire and dialogue. At the same time, the article notes that Russia continues to escalate its aggression despite such statements from Beijing.
