Embassy: UK 'must not misinterpret or distort' China's stance on Ukraine

China's embassy in the UK has urged the British government not to misinterpret or distort China's position on the Ukraine crisis.

"We support all efforts that are conducive to a peaceful solution of the crisis," said the statement released on Monday. "At the same time, we firmly oppose any practice of pouring fuel over fire, instigating conflicts and creating bloc confrontation. We will never accept any external coercion or pressure, and we will oppose any groundless accusation against China."

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson was quoted as saying that China should change its approach of "sitting on the fence" regarding Ukraine, and warning that "backing Russia was like picking the wrong side of history in the Second World War, a battle between good and evil".

"China's principled position on the Ukraine issue has been objective, fair, transparent and consistent. The UK side must not misinterpret or distort it," the statement said.

"China does not want to see the crisis in Ukraine. China's position has always been that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, the principles and purposes of the UN Charter should be observed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken into serious consideration, and international disputes should be settled peacefully.

"To solve the Ukraine crisis, the pressing priority now is for all sides to jointly support the parties involved to have dialogue and negotiation that will produce results and lead to peace. It is critical to cease hostilities as soon as possible, prevent the situation from worsening, and in particular, avoid more civilian casualties."

The statement went on to point out it is imperative for the relevant sides to reject the Cold War mentality, refrain from bloc confrontation, and build a truly balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture for the region, so as to achieve long-term stability in the European continent.

China has been working with all sides to push for peace talks, and has put forward a six-point initiative on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and provided several batches of humanitarian aid to the country.

"China always stands on the side of justice and peace, and on the right side of history," the statement said.