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China says it respects Ukraine's sovereignty and Russia's security concerns

26 February 2022 02:10 (UTC +04:00)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told senior European officials on Friday that China respects countries' sovereignty, including Ukraine's, but that Russia's concerns about NATO's eastward expansion should be properly addressed, APA reports quoting Reuters.

Weeks before the invasion, China and Russia announced a strategic partnership, and so far Beijing has stayed clear of condemning Moscow's actions.

Wang said the current situation in Ukraine was not something Beijing wished to see and that it would welcome direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible.

"China firmly advocates respecting and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries," Wang said, according to a statement from China's Foreign Ministry. "This equally applies to the Ukraine issue."