China responded sharply today to the provocative remarks made by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command chief Adm. John Aquilino who commented from the Raisina Dialogue in India on April 27 that the “no limits” cooperation between Russia and China poses a problem for “like-minded” (Western) countries which, he said, would require the development of a “great deterrence” to confront it, using all forms of technology. In a pointed response to a question on this at today’s Foreign Ministry briefing, spokesman Zhao Lijian stated that China and Russia have risen above the Cold War era of military and political alliances and instead commit themselves to “developing a new model of international relations on the basis of non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third countries.This is fundamentally different from the Cold War mentality behind some countries’ pursuit of small cliques and zero-sum games.” (https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/202204/t20220429_10680765.html)
It was the U.S. that pushed NATO’s Eastward expansion, Zhao charged, which “is undoubtedly responsible for the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis.” Zhao also pointed to the refugee crisis affecting Ukraine’s neighboring countries, while noting the U.S.’s “political stunt in accepting refugees,” when it has actually accepted only a very small number of Ukrainian refugees.
Zhao accused the U.S. of continuing to add fuel to the fire in Ukraine, “clamoring for a fight `to the last Ukrainian,’” providing weapons and money, while the UN and others urge for an early end to the conflict. The only thing the U.S. seeks is a prolonged conflict to weaken Russia—which it admits—not peace. “Is the U.S. bringing peace or war? Is it upholding security or causing turmoil? The world’s people have clear answers to these questions,” Zhao concluded.
