China expects Putin's plan conducive to solution of Ukraine crisis

BEIJING - China hopes the seven-point plan proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin helps to create favorable conditions for the political solution of the Ukraine crisis, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Thursday.

China took notice of the peace plan proposed by Putin, he said in a daily press briefing when asked to comment on the plan.

"China has always called on both sides of the clashes in Ukraine to cease fire and conduct an inclusive dialogue in the hope of solving the crisis in a political way," Qin said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a seven-point plan on Wednesday to stop military clashes in southeast Ukraine, which have claimed over 2,600 lives since March.

The plan calls for an end to active offensive operations by armed forces and armed militia groups in southeast Ukraine's Donetsk and Lugansk areas. It also presses for the withdrawal of Ukrainian armed forces to a distance that would make it impossible to fire on populated areas using artillery and multiple launch rocket systems.

It allows for full and objective international monitoring of compliance with the ceasefire and the situation in the safe zone created by the ceasefire; and excluding all use of military aircraft against civilians and populated areas in the conflict zone.

The plan also includes the opening of humanitarian corridors, allowing repair brigades to come to damaged settlements to repair and rebuild social facilities and life-supporting infrastructure and others.