BEIJING: In a quandary over the delayed evacuation of its over 6000 students in Ukraine, China is chalking out alternative arrangements like operating chartered flights to shift them to safer locations amid growing anxiety over their safety following Russia's military operations in eastern Ukraine.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China has launched the emergency coordination mechanism and maintained close communication with all parties to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions, official media reported.
The Chinese Embassy in Ukraine is also mulling alternative plans to evacuate local Chinese nationals amid the deteriorating situation in the country, and as long as safety premises are met, they will immediately take action and launch the evacuation plan, an official of the Chinese embassy in Ukraine told state-run Global Times.
China was in a fix to evacuate the students and stranded nationals from Ukraine as its response came far later than that of the US, EU and Japan which asked their citizens to leave Ukraine far earlier than Russia commenced its military offensive.
In a video, Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Fan Xianrong has rejected rumours that he had left the country.
"Given the situation in Ukraine, the first thing we need to do is to assure our Chinese nationals and ease their anxiety," an embassy staffer told the Global Times.
The embassy said it is unable to organise evacuation charter flights for now as the safety of evacuees cannot be guaranteed.
There are strict controls on airspace as well as the danger posed by missile attacks and bombardments.
However, they are considering alternatives, noting that as long as safety issues are met, they will immediately launch the evacuation plan, the embassy officials said.
Added to the concerns that Chinese nationals in Ukraine faced hostility from locals in view of China's support to Russia.
The situation in Ukraine has become more difficult with the constant sounds of sirens, explosions and gunfire, and there may be many unpredictable changes in the coming days, the Chinese ambassador to Ukraine said, reminding Chinese nationals to avoid confrontation with local people, or recording scenes out of curiosity, and to especially stay away from military-related personnel or facilities.
The Ukrainian people are going through a hard time, the envoy said.
"We should have more understanding toward them and show the friendliness and rationality that the Chinese people have always had," he said, adding that China respects Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and hopes the current crisis will be resolved through political negotiations.