China’s foreign minister on Tuesday denied that the country has sold arms to Russia and defended that Beijing has made an “independent assessment” and is committed to peace in Ukraine.
“What has China done to be threatened or pressured by this crisis?”asked Qin Gang at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People’s Congress, China’s highest legislative body.
The ruler assured that China is not directly involved in the conflict, nor has it supplied weapons to the neighboring country. ‘We have published a document with peace proposals’remembered.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Beijing has sought to maintain a “boundary friendship” with Moscow, protecting its strong trade ties with the United States and allied countries, as well as its global image.
Beijing refused to condemn the invasion and condemned the imposition of sanctions on Russia, but also defended the importance of respecting the “territorial integrity of all countries”, in a reference to Ukraine.
Last February, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had evidence that China was planning to supply Russia with weapons. Beijing denied this information.
Qin pointed out that there is “an invisible hand that is causing the crisis in Ukraine,” in an implicit reference to the United States. “There are people who are committed to peace and there are people who add fuel to the fire. We are on the side of negotiations and peace,” he underlined.
Beijing’s peace proposal emphasizes the importance of “respecting the sovereignty of all countries” in a reference to Ukraine, but it also calls for an end to the “Cold War mentality”, a term Beijing has coined. often used to criticize the US. foreign policy.
“The security of a region should not be achieved through the strengthening or expansion of military blocs”reads the document, in an implicit critique of NATO enlargement.
The plan calls for an end to Western sanctions against Russia, measures to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities, the establishment of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians and actions to guarantee grain exports after supply disruptions worldwide caused prices to rise. .
The proposal drew criticism from the West for putting “aggressor and victim” on the same footing.
Source: DN
