Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin blasted the United States for its accusations that Beijing is considering providing “lethal support” for Moscow in Ukraine. He indicated that the U.S. was in no position to tell China what to do.
At the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s regular press briefing Feb. 20, a Bloomberg reporter relayed the “question” that, “Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that the U.S. has information that China is considering whether to supply Russia weapons and ammunition for the invasion of Ukraine.” The reporter charged that “The U.S. already has evidence that Chinese companies are sending nonlethal support to Russia.”
Wang countered:, “It is the U.S., not China, that has been pouring weapons into the battlefield. The U.S. is in no position to tell China what to do. We would never stand for finger-pointing, or even coercion and pressurizing from the U.S. on our relations with Russia.
“On the Ukraine issue, China’s position boils down to supporting talks for peace. The international community is fully aware who is calling for dialogue and striving for peace, and who is fanning the flames and stoking confrontation. We urge the U.S. side to seriously reflect on the role it has played, do something to actually help de-escalate the situation and promote peace talks, and stop deflecting the blame and spreading disinformation. China will continue to stay firm on the side of peace and dialogue, and play a constructive part in easing the situation….
“The one-year mark of the Ukraine crisis is just days away. China will release a position document on seeking political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. The document will reaffirm President Xi Jinping’s important propositions, including respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, taking seriously the legitimate security concerns of all countries.” (https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/202302/t20230220_11027934.html)
On Feb. 18, CPC Political Bureau member and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi met with U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, after which Blinken told the press that he had warned Wang about the “implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia or assistance with systemic sanctions evasion.” So-called “assistance with systemic sanctions evasion,” can be construed to mean any type of trade. Last week, Wang Yi told the Munich Security Conference that those calling for continued fighting in Ukraine, “don’t care about the life and death of Ukrainians.”
