China urges dialogue to resolve crisis in Ukraine

BEIJING — China called Thursday for talks to resolve the Ukraine crisis and avoided criticizing President Vladimir Putin’s attack while, in a step that could blunt the impact of Western sanctions, Beijing also approved imports of Russian wheat.

Chinese ties with Russia have grown stronger under President Xi Jinping, who met Putin this month in Beijing. China’s multibillion-dollar purchases of Russian gas for its energy-hungry economy have been a lifeline to Putin, who already was under Western sanctions over his nation’s 2014 seizure of Crimea from Ukraine.

China is the only major government to refrain from condemning Putin’s attack. But it tempered that by calling for restraint and respect for national sovereignty.

“We still hope that the parties concerned will not shut the door to peace and engage instead in dialogue and consultation and prevent the situation from further escalating,” said a foreign ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying.

Meanwhile, China’s Embassy in Ukraine told its citizens there to stay home and to place a Chinese flag inside or on their vehicle if they needed to travel.

Xi’s government echoes Russian frustration with what they say is unfair American dominance of global affairs and Moscow’s rejection of the eastward expansion of NATO.

Beijing has blamed Washington and its European allies for the conflict over Ukraine.

“All parties should work for peace instead of escalating the tension or hyping up the possibility of war,” Hua said. “Those parties who were busy condemning others, what have they done? Have they persuaded others?”

After their Beijing meeting, Xi and Putin issued a statement endorsing key foreign policy issues for both sides.