Beijing reaffirms neutral stance in Ukraine conflict, denies supplying lethal arms to Russia

China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, reassures Ukraine that Beijing remains neutral in Ukraine crisis and has not sent any deadly weapons to Russia

China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, reassured Ukraine that Beijing is still neutral in the current crisis in Ukraine and hasn’t sent Russia any deadly weapons in a statement on Sunday. This reassurance was given in the course of a discussion between Wang Yi and Dmytro Kuleba, his counterpart from Ukraine, underscoring China’s position in the conflict that has attracted worry and attention from far and wide.

Refusing to condemn Moscow’s activities in Ukraine, China has come under fire for projecting an image of neutrality. Nevertheless, the Munich discussion illuminated Beijing’s diplomatic stance, stressing that it is not becoming involved in the war by arming parties. Wang said in a readout from the foreign ministry, “China does not take any advantage of the situation, and does not sell lethal weapons to conflict areas or parties to the conflict.”

With the start of Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine, China and Russia have strengthened their political and commercial relations, which serves as the background for the conversation. Previous reports have suggested that China may have had a part in providing Russia with deadly weaponry. Beijing, however, has always refuted these accusations.

During Wang Yi’s talk with Kuleba, China made it clear that it wanted China-Ukraine ties to keep growing and benefit the people of both countries. Wang expressed thanks to Ukraine for helping to evacuate Chinese citizens during an emergency, saying, “The Chinese people will never forget that.”

Wang underscored China’s will to peacefully resolve disputes via diplomacy and expressed China’s desire to contribute positively to the cessation of hostilities and the establishment of peace. He said, “We will continue to play a constructive role in bringing an early end to the war and re-establishing peace,” highlighting the need to seize any possibility for peace, no matter how remote it may seem.

Source: AFP