Speaking at the Foreign Ministry today, director general of the Foreign Ministry Department of Information and Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying responded to a question from China Daily about the fact that “A few U.S. media outlets believe that China’s remarks and position on Ukraine contradict the principle of respecting state sovereignty and territorial integrity that China always champions.” She took advantage of the question to provide a lesson in statecraft, replying: “We believe that all countries should settle international disputes in a peaceful way in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Those who accuse China of violating the principle of respecting state sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Ukraine issue either harbor ulterior motives or are misguided by misrepresentation.
“Reason and causality are important when trying to understand things. There is a complex historical context on the Ukraine issue and the current situation is the result of the interplay of many complicated factors. In order to have an objective understanding of the situation and seek a reasonable and peaceful settlement, it is necessary to learn the whole story on the Ukraine issue and properly address each other’s legitimate security concerns on the basis of equality and mutual respect. Certain countries should ask themselves: When the U.S. drove five waves of NATO expansion eastward all the way to Russia’s doorstep and deployed advanced offensive strategic weapons in breach of its assurances to Russia, did it ever think about the consequences of pushing a big country to the wall?”
This is the central issue that the Russian government has repeatedly stated as its central strategic concern, including in its Feb. 4 Joint Statement with China.
Hua replied to CCTV, which asked what role had China taken in resolving the Ukraine issue, stating that “on regional hotspot issues,” China is always committed to promoting peace and negotiation and playing a constructive role in seeking a peaceful resolution. “On the Ukraine issue, lately the U.S. has been sending weapons to Ukraine, heightening tensions, creating panic and even hyping up the possibility of warfare. In stark contrast, China has all along called on all parties to respect and attach importance to each other’s legitimate security concerns, strive to resolve issues through negotiation and consultation, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.”
