BEIJING, July 30. /TASS/. China does not support the practice of imposing sanctions in international relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told TASS on Thursday, commenting on several European countries joining the extension of the EU sanctions against Crimea.

"China has always opposed the use of sanctions and similar measures of intimidation in international affairs," he noted. "We believe that political dialogue is the only way to defuse the Ukrainian crisis," the diplomat said.

According to the statement of European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini posted on the website of the Council of the European Union on July 28, seven European countries — Montenegro, Albania, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Ukraine and Georgia — have confirmed to the Council of the European Union their decision to extend the sanctions regime against Crimea and the city of Sevastopol until June 23, 2016.