fredag 18. mars 2022

China Doubles Down on Support for Ukraine, Backs Peace Talks to End War

China's Foreign Ministry is standing by a bold statement by its ambassador to Ukraine— who pledged Beijing's economic and political support for Kyiv—but is still refusing to rebuke Russia openly. The envoy, Fan Xianrong, told officials in Lviv that China and Ukraine were "strategic partners" celebrating three decades of formal diplomatic relations.

"China is a friendly country for the Ukrainian people. As an ambassador, I can responsibly say that China will forever be a good force for Ukraine, both economically and politically," he said, according to state news agency Ukrinform. "We will always respect your state, we will develop relations on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. We will respect the path chosen by Ukrainians because this is the sovereign right of every nation," he said on Monday.

Fan and his consular staff relocated to the western Ukrainian city, near the border with Poland, after the Kremlin's invasion. Lviv's regional office said he met with Maksym Kozytskyi, the head of the local military administration. On Thursday, at a regular press briefing in Beijing, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said: "China of course supports the statement by the Chinese ambassador. China supports all efforts that are conducive to easing the situation in Ukraine and a political settlement."