Provided by Deutsche Welle© Ji Chunpeng/Xinhua/picture alliance Provided by Deutsche WelleChina on Monday reiterated its position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, calling for all parties involved to engage in dialogue.China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized China’s “rock-solid” friendship with Russia and said the prospects for cooperation between the two countries are very broad.

What China says about Russia’s war in Ukraine

At a press conference explaining Beijing’s position on the conflict, Wang called on both sides to settle disputes by peaceful means, through dialogue and negotiation, and “respect and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.”

“We must accommodate the legitimate security concerns of the parties involved,” he said.

The countries involved should keep in mind the “long-term peace and stability of the region and put in place a balanced, effective, and sustainable European security architecture,” Wang said.

China is prepared to continue to play a constructive role to facilitate dialogue for peace and work alongside the international community to carry out necessary mediation.

China has offered to act as a mediator in the conflict and denounced trade and financial sanctions against Russia.

Beijing called for restraint on all sides after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his troops into Ukraine in late February.

“China is closely watching the latest situation, and we call on all parties to maintain restraint and prevent the situation from getting out of control,” a foreign ministry spokeswoman said at the time.

The Chinese government has refused to describe the military attack as an invasion and called on Western countries to respect Russia’s “legitimate security concerns.”