China calls for lasting peace plan after Ukraine agrees to 30-day ceasefire

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- China hopes all parties involved in the Ukraine crisis will engage in dialogue and negotiation, and find a sustainable and lasting peace plan that accommodates their respective concerns, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular news briefing when commenting on Ukraine's readiness to accept a U.S. proposal for an "immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire" following talks with a U.S. delegation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Since the onset of the Ukraine crisis, China has advocated political settlement through dialogue and negotiation -- and made efforts to promote peace and dialogue, Mao said.

A joint statement issued after hours of consultation between senior officials from the United States and Ukraine, said the truce could be extended by mutual agreement, while adding that "the United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace."