Beijing: Expressing shock over the crash of a Malaysia Airlines plane with 298 people on board in eastern Ukraine, Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for a fair and objective probe.
"I was shocked," Xi, who is on a visit to Argentina, said at a joint press conference with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner at Buenos Aires about the tragedy.
The ill-fated Boeing 777 Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over Eastern Ukraine on Thursday.
All 298 people on board were killed in the crash.
Xi 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," state-run Xinhua news agency today quoted him as saying.
All Chinese airlines have rerouted their flights over eastern Ukraine following the crash of the Malaysia Airlines plane in the region.
China`s civil aviation authority has ordered all Chinese aircraft flying over Ukraine to avoid airspace over that area.
