BEIJING, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Russia's attitude and response to the sinking of a Chinese cargo ship in Russian waters are unacceptable, Beijing's Foreign Ministry says.
Zhang Xiyun, director general of the ministry's Department of European-Central Asian Affairs, Friday lodged formal protests with Russian Minister Counselor to China Igor Morgulov regarding the Feb. 14 incident involving the ship New Star, Xinhua, the state-run Chinese news agency, reported.
A Russian warship fired 500 rounds at the New Star, sinking it during stormy weather in Russian waters near the eastern port city of Vladivostok, The New York Times reported.
Chinese officials say seven sailors were still missing and accused Russia of ending the search for survivors too quickly. The ITAR-TASS news agency reported a motorboat was found Wednesday at Pyotr Veliky Bay, but no one was on it.
Zhang told Xinhua the attitude of the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed on Friday over the incident is "hard to understand and unacceptable" for China.
