China urges calm and restraint in Ukraine
聽called for calm and restraint in the聽聽crisis on Saturday, saying that the issue should be resolved through talks and political means.
Foreign Minister聽聽urged all parties to keep in mind the fundamental interests of all ethnic communities in聽聽and interests of regional peace and stability.
聽has said it will not interfere in what it considers an internal affair and that it respects the Ukrainian people's decisions.
The most serious East-West confrontation since the end of the Cold War escalated on Thursday when聽, dominated by ethnic Russians, voted to join聽聽and set a referendum for March 16. The conflict resulted from the overthrow last month of President聽听补蹿迟别谤听protests聽in Kiev that led to violence.
"The priority now is to exercise calm and restraint and prevent further escalation of the situation," Wang said at his annual news conference.
"It is regrettable that the situation in聽聽has come to what it is today, yet it is not by accident that the situation has reached this point," he said, adding that there was a complex history behind聽聽as well as conflicting interests.
"The more complex the problem, the more necessary for it to be handled in a prudent way," Wang said.
聽has so far shown little public interest in participating in any financial aid for聽, or getting involved diplomatically, in line with its low-key approach to many international crises.
Wang said that聽聽had a "just and objective position" on the situation in聽聽and that all sides should have dialogue and consultations to seek a political solution.
"聽is in communication with various parties and we will play聽's constructive role in bringing about a political settlement of the聽聽issue," he added.
聽has also said it would like to continue to develop "friendly cooperation" with聽聽and that it respects聽's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
听补苍诲听聽have close ties and see eye-to-eye on many international diplomatic issues, such as the crisis in聽.
Yanukovich visited聽聽in December in the hope of winning much-needed financial aid, but聽聽did not say it would provide any loans.
Yanukovich said at the time that deals signed with聽聽may bring聽聽about $8 billion in investment.
Reporting by Michael Martina
