Sawt Falasteen - Beijing's top diplomat says China will be a 'force for stability'

"No matter the changes in the international situation, China as a responsible major country will always maintain the continuity and stability of its major policies and resolutely stay a force for stability in a turbulent world," Wang said.

Foreign minister Wang's address at the Munich Security Conference, a gathering of 180 leaders and defence chiefs, followed a fresh appeal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for more help in his country's fight against Russian troops.

China says it is a neutral party in the conflict but has been criticised for refusing to condemn Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.

"China-Russia relations do not involve forming alliances, creating opposition or targeting third parties," Wang said.

"They are normal relations between two neighbouring major countries."

He added China opposes "pushing responsibility for the Ukraine crisis onto China".

"China has already done a lot of constructive work (on Ukraine)," Wang said. "We will continue to play a positive role."

Beijing initially pushed for a "political settlement" to the Ukraine conflict but its efforts have floundered in recent months after Western countries said it could enable Russia to hold much of the territory it has seized.

Wang also reiterated on Saturday China's stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, calling for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of channels for humanitarian aid into Gaza.

"We cannot allow this humanitarian disaster to continue," Wang said.

He called China the country with the "best record" of peace, batting away a question about alleged human rights abuses in the western region of Xinjiang.

Campaign groups and several governments say Beijing has conducted systematic cultural erasure and mass incarceration of Xinjiang's Uyghur minority.

"Regarding the matters of China's Xinjiang, some international powers have spread too many rumours and fabricated too much false information," Wang said, accusing unidentified countries of wanting to "cause trouble in Xinjiang and further impede China's development".

F.AbuZaid--SF-PST