2nd LD Writethru: China hopes Ukraine issue to be settled through dialogue: Premier Li

China hopes the Ukraine issue to be settled through dialogue, Premier Li Keqiang said Sunday.

"We hope there will be a negotiated settlement of this issue through dialogue," Li told a press conference after the conclusion of China's annual parliamentary session.

"On the issue of Ukraine, China has adopted an objective and just position. We respect Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said.

The Ukraine issue has added to the complexity of the geopolitical situation and impacted the global economic recovery, the premier said.

He added that there were complex causes behind the issue of Crimea, and China hopes to see a political settlement through dialogue.

"We hope there will be harmonious coexistence between neighbors, and what we hope to see is that there will be the pursuit of common development and win-win outcomes between European countries and between all countries in the world," he said. Endi