BUENOS AIRES, July 18 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for a fair and objective probe into the crash of a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane in eastern Ukraine.

"I was shocked," he said at a joint press conference with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of the Thursday tragedy, which killed all the 298 people aboard the ill-fated Flight MH17.

The Chinese president conveyed his deep condolences on the massive loss of lives and sincere sympathies with the families of the victims.

"I hope that a fair and objective probe will be carried out to establish the truth as early as possible," said the Chinese president.

The Boeing 777-200 airliner was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it suddenly vanished from radar. The Ukrainian government and insurgents in the restive east have been accusing each other of shooting down the plane.