BEIJING: China has urged the US to reflect on its own deeds and stop shifting blame and spreading false information over US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s remarks suggesting China is considering providing “lethal support” to Russia, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday, stressing that it’s the US that has been arming combatants throughout the conflict.
As the Russia-Ukraine conflict nears the one-year mark, Blinken told CBS News on Sunday that China is “actively considering providing lethal support, including weapons and ammunition to aid Moscow” against Ukrainian forces.
“We’ve been concerned from day one about that possibility,” Blinken said in the interview, adding that China could provide “a whole gamut of things” that fit into the category of “lethal aid,” from ammunition to weapons, according to the report.
Responding to Blinken’s remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Monday that the US is not qualified to give orders to China, and China will never allow the US to boss it around or even exert pressure on China-Russia relations.
At the Monday press briefing, Wang reiterated China’s one and only approach in dealing with the Ukraine crisis – promoting peace talks among the parties concerned.
“Who is calling for dialogue and peace? And who is encouraging confrontation with fire and knives? The international community can see for itself,” Wang asked.
He urged Washington to reflect on its own deeds and do more to ease tensions and push forward dialogue, rather than shifting blame and spreading false information. China will always side with peace and play a constructive role in cooling down the situation, the spokesperson said.
On the Ukraine issue, Wang noted that China has been adhering to its principles and promoting peace talks.
The US, as a major power, should promote a political solution to the Ukraine crisis rather than adding oil to the fire and taking advantage of the opportunity to profit.
Regarding China’s ties with Russia, Wang said that as a comprehensive strategic partnership , the relations between the two sides are based on non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party. It is a matter within the sovereignty of two independent countries. China will never allow the US to give orders or even exert pressure on handling its ties with Russia.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang will visit Indonesia from Feb 21 to 23 at the invitation of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia Retno Marsudi, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced here on Monday.
Qin will chair the 4th meeting of the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation between China and Indonesia and visit the ASEAN Secretariat during his visit, the spokesperson said.
–The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
