China said it was "gravely concerned" about Ukraine's nuclear facilities after Russian forces took control of Europe's largest power plant on Friday.
Russian troops seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, located in southeastern Ukraine, with fire raging before being extinguished. Radiation levels were said to be stable.
The Chinese communists, who have said little about Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine, urged Russian forced to show "calm and restraint," Business Insider reported.
"China attaches great importance to nuclear safety and is gravely concerned about the safety and security situation of nuclear facilities in Ukraine," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a Friday press conference.
"We will continue to closely monitor the developments of the situation, and call on relevant parties to keep calm and exercise restraint, prevent further escalation of the situation and ensure the safety of relevant nuclear facilities."
Beijing abstained from U.N. votes condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions, and also criticized Western nations for imposing sanctions on Russia over the invasion.
The Chinese denied a report saying they asked Russia to delay invading Ukraine until after the Beijing Winter Olympics.
However, China has appeared to distance itself from Russia in recent days.
Wang told reporters Monday that China and Russia were "comprehensive strategic partners of coordination" — a change from last year when he said the two countries were "better than allies," Business Insider reported.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday told Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba that China "regrets" Russia's attack on Ukraine, according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout.
The Associated Press reported that the information the Chinese Communist Party allows online and requires media to publish makes clear what it wants its citizens to think.
Media outlets were told last week to post only pro-Russian content and to censor anti-Russian or pro-Western views, according to a copy of instructions posted on the social media account of the newspaper Beijing News. The post was later deleted.
Chines state-owned media repeat Beijing's position that the U.S. and its European allies are to blame for the Ukraine war because they failed to respond to Russian concerns that its democratic neighbor should be barred from joining NATO.
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