China has weighed in for the first time Tuesday after Vladimir Putin's Monday night speech wherein he issued Russia's formal recognition of independence for Ukrainian separatist regions Donetsk and Luhansk, followed by a quick signing ceremony and with what have been billed "peacekeeping forces" entering the war-torn eastern Ukraine republics overnight. 

In his official comments, Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged calm and a lowering of tensions in the region, calling for "dialogue and negotiations". His words carried in state media underscored that China's stance on the Ukraine issue is consistent, noting that "The legitimate security concerns of any country should be respected," according to a readout in state-run Global Times.