"Ambassador Lu Shae's remarks on the issue of Ukraine were not political declarations, but were an expression of personal opinion," RIA Novosti quoted the statement as saying.
The diplomatic mission stressed that such statements should not become "the subject of speculation."
Earlier, Lu Shae said that Crimea was Russian historically and is so.
To the host's objection that the peninsula is part of Ukraine under international law, Lu Shae noted that the countries of the former USSR do not have an effective status in international law.
Later, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared respect for the sovereignty of all states that were formerly part of the Soviet Union.
Crimea became a Russian region after a referendum held there in March 2014: the majority of residents voted in favor of reunification with Russia.