China advised its citizens in Ukraine to stockpile rations on Tuesday, but resisted urging them to evacuate diplomats despite what it called a "major change" in the Donbass region, where Russian troops are now stationed as "peacekeepers". being done.
In a notice issued hours after President Vladimir Putin formally recognized the separate regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states, the Chinese embassy in Kiev urged citizens to avoid "unstable areas" and asked Beijing to provide official information. asked to supervise. However, the embassy and its consulate in Odessa on the Black Sea remain open.
"Improve awareness of safety precautions and timely stock of daily necessities such as food and drinking water," the bulletin said. "Strengthen contacts with local overseas Chinese associations, international student unions, Chinese Chambers of Commerce as well as acquaintances and friends, and help each other when necessary."
Asked whether Beijing was considering evacuating its citizens from Ukraine, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin noted a "major change in the situation in eastern Ukraine" but said the embassy would be in contact with citizens and businesses in order to provide "consular security and assistance" in a timely manner. "China will seriously defend the security and legitimate rights and interests of trade," he said.
US diplomats who were transferred from Kiev to Lviv in western Ukraine spent Monday night across the border in Poland after Putin ordered Russian troops and armor into Donetsk and Luhansk, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. . He was to return to Lviv the next day for consular work.
Last week, China's foreign ministry said its embassy would continue normal operations, with spokesman Wang accusing the United States of exaggerating Russia's military build-up and "playing the threat of war".
During Tuesday's regular press conference in Beijing, Wang did not say whether China would support Russia's official recognition of Ukraine's rebel territories. The history and realities of the Ukraine crisis are complex, he said, before calling for restraint, dialogue and refraining from escalating. His remarks echoed the response given by China's ambassador to the United Nations during an emergency meeting of the Security Council late Monday.
Further conversation
In a call with Blinken shortly after the UN session, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the situation in Ukraine was "worsening", but renewed calls for talks. According to a press statement, Wang said, "China will continue to hold talks with all parties."
In a separate readout from Beijing, Wang and Blinken are said to have discussed U.S.-China relations, which have remained on the edge in recent months despite a focus on Eastern Europe. The Chinese diplomat accused the US of failing to fulfill commitments made during the November summit between President Joe Biden and Xi Jinping.
In particular, Wang saw Washington as taking a tougher stance on Beijing. US officials who advocate for "prolonged, intense competition" run the risk of creating a "full-scale confrontation" between the two countries, he said.