The Foreign Minister of China, Qin Gang, uttered on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 that his country wants to play a role in ending the conflict.
Qin Gang informed participants at a security conference in Beijing that China was concerned the almost yearlong war could escalate further and spin “out of control.”
In an apparent reference to military support provided to Ukraine by the United States and its allies, Qin remarked, “At the same time, we urge relevant countries to immediately stop adding fuel to the fire, stop shifting blames to China, and stop hyping up the discourse of Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow.”
China has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion or atrocities against Ukrainian civilians and strongly criticized Western economic sanctions against Moscow. In deference to Moscow, it has yet to describe the conflict as an invasion.
China and Russia have aligned their foreign policies to oppose the U.S. and, weeks before the Ukraine invasion, their leaders declared a partnership with “no limits.” China also says Russia was provoked into using military force by NATO’s eastward expansion.
Despite that, Qin reiterated China’s claim that it has “always taken an objective and impartial stance based on the merits of the issue.”
“China is deeply worried about the escalation of the situation and even the possibility of it going out of control,” Qin said.
The Foreign Minister iterated that Chinese President Xi Jinping had put forward proposals that have “played a responsible and constructive role in easing the situation and de-escalating the crisis,” without offering any details or evidence.
“We will continue to promote peace talks, provide Chinese wisdom for the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, and work with the international community to promote dialogue and consultation to address the concerns of all parties and seek common security.”
Foreign Minister of China, Qin Gang
China has opposed criticism of Russia at the United Nations, while insisting that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations be respected, a position that underpins its claim to Taiwan, which separated from the mainland amid civil war more than 70 years ago.
Kremlin Spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov lauded Russia-China ties as “multidimensional and allied in nature.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin may meet with the Chinese Communist Party’s foreign policy Chief, Wang Yi in Moscow, the Kremlin said on Monday.
Wang’s trip to Russia follows talks on Saturday with U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken on the sidelines of an international security conference in Munich.
Blinken said he reiterated to Wang that any Chinese material support for the Russian armed forces would trigger a strong response from Washington.
Thus far, the U.S. says there are no indications that China is doing so, although its close economic ties with Russia have offered a lifeline to Putin’s regime.
Russia, in turn, has offered strong support for China and held a series of joint military drills.
Foreign Ministry Issues Statement On “Global Security Initiative”
Also, China’s Foreign Ministry has issued a lengthy statement outlining Xi’s “Global Security Initiative,” which aims to “eliminate the root causes of international conflicts, improve global security governance, encourage joint international efforts to bring more stability and certainty to a volatile and changing era, and promote durable peace and development in the world.”
In its only reference to Russia’s invasion, it said the initiative would “support political settlement of hotspot issues such as the Ukraine crisis through dialogue and negotiation.”
At a daily briefing, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Wang Wenbin criticized military aid provided to Ukraine by the U.S. and its allies, saying that “the U.S. claims to maintain peace, but actually it is making money from the crisis.”
“There are enough facts to show the true nature of the U.S. as a source of trouble rather than a defender of peace for the world,” Wang said.
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