KIEV, Dec. 3 - Ukraine's government survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament on Tuesday as President Viktor Yanukovych left on a trip to China, leaving most of Kiev’s downtown in hands of protesters.

Yanukovych's decision to postpone a trade and integration deal with the European Union has split the country, triggering massive street rallies in protest.

Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and his government survived the motion after opposition groups failed to muster the necessary 226 votes to topple the Cabinet. Only 186 lawmakers in the 450-seat Parliament voted in favor of the motion.

"I ask Yanukovych - resign!" Vitaliy Klichko, the leader of the opposition Udar party, said in Parliament.

Protesters speak of fears that Yanukovych might order a military crackdown. Addressing the absent president in parliament, Klichko said: "Don't do anything stupid - don't drive yourself and the country into a dead end," Reuters reported.

In Brussels, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke directly of the threat of unrest: "We urge the Ukrainian government to listen to the voices of its people who want to live in freedom and in opportunity and prosperity. We urge all sides to conduct themselves peacefully. Violence has no place in a modern European state."

The NATO alliance urged Ukraine to "uphold the freedom of expression and assembly," and called for dialogue.

In the vast downtown Maidan Nezalezhnosti square activists gathered signatures calling for Yanukovych's impeachment. Protesters warmed themselves at barricades of plywood, park benches and the remnants of an artificial Christmas tree.

Protesters have shut the main government headquarters for two days. Azarov said his cabinet would meet in the building on Wednesday, potentially setting up a showdown.

Confrontation on the streets adds to a risk of financial turmoil as the country faces gas bills and debt repayments next year of more than $17 billion.

Ukraine's currency, bonds and share prices have come under severe pressure. The central bank has been forced to assure people their savings are safe, while the finance minister said Ukraine was repaying its debts and would continue to do so.

"Ukraine is a reliable borrower and is flawlessly fulfilling, and will fulfill, all of its obligations on time," Yuri Kolobov said in a recorded message broadcast by state television on Tuesday.

Standard and Poor's, which already cut Ukraine's credit rating to B- in early November, warned that further political deterioration could bring another downgrade.
Russia wants to draw Ukraine into a Moscow-led customs union and prevent it moving closer to the EU.

Brussels says the trade deal that Yanukovych abandoned would have brought a windfall of investment from European firms taking advantage of Ukraine's competitively-priced workforce. But Ukraine also has huge Soviet-era industries which rely on cheap gas from Russia, making it vulnerable to Kremlin pressure.

China is a possible third source of funds. It has already provided the former Soviet republic with loans worth $10 billion, perhaps explaining why Yanukovych risked the journey there. He is scheduled to stay until Dec. 6 and sign economic and trade agreements.

"Yanukovych is trying to show that the European Union and Russia are not the only possible partners for Ukraine," said Volodymyr Fesenko of Ukraine's Penta think-tank. (rt/ez)