BEIJING. March 17 (Interfax) - Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Li Baodong urged the parties to the Ukrainian conflict to remain calm and exercise restraint.
"We are watching the situation in Ukraine very closely. We hope all the parties will be able to remain calm in order to prevent the situation from further escalation and aggravation," Li told reporters on Monday.
"A political solution and dialogue are the only ways to resolve the situation," he said.
At the same time, Li declined to comment on the preliminary result of the Crimean referendum held last Sunday, according to several Western media outlets.