The Chinese government announced today that it will donate 200,000 euros to “protect the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities through practical actions”.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a news conference that China has always “attached great importance to nuclear safety issues”.
In a plan proposed late last month for the conflict in Ukraine, China said it would “resist armed attacks on nuclear facilities”. Beijing “promotes international nuclear safety cooperation as one of its key guidelines,” the spokeswoman said.
The Asian country will make the donation through the International Atomic Energy Agency and its technical assistance project for protection and security.
The spokeswoman stressed that the Chinese government “will continue to work with the international community to establish a fair and mutually beneficial international nuclear security system.”
Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant is located in Zaporijia, in southeastern Ukraine, and is currently controlled by the Russians, which has been disconnected from the Ukrainian power system.
China was among the countries that abstained from voting on a UN assembly resolution condemning the Russian invasion.
The Beijing plan mentioned by Mao emphasizes the importance of “respecting the sovereignty of all countries”, in a reference to Ukraine, but also calls for an end to the “Cold War mentality”, in an implicit criticism of NATO enlargement. China has also called for an end to Western sanctions against Russia.
The proposal was criticized by the West for putting “aggressor and victim” on the same level.
Source: DN
