(ANSA) - BEIJING, APRIL 14 - China will not sell weapons to any of the parties involved in the war in Ukraine.
Responding to Western fears and suspicions about possible military assistance to Russia, Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Beijing wants to be neutral, during a press conference with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock.
Qin, the most senior Beijing official to make such an explicit statement on arms sales to Russia, added that China will also regulate the export of civilian-military dual-use goods: "On the export of military items, we adopt an attitude prudent and responsible".
Meanwhile, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu announced an official visit to Moscow from April 16 to 19, at the invitation of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
During his mission, Li "will hold talks with Russian military leaders and visit the Russian military academy."
On the Ukraine issue, "the Chinese side stressed that the only way out to resolve the crisis is to promote peace talks," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, regarding the bilateral meeting held in Beijing by Foreign Minister Qin Gang and the German counterpart AnnalenaBaerbock.
"China is willing to continue working for peace and hopes that all parties concerned remain objective and calm, and work together to resolve the crisis through negotiations,"
Baerbock, for his part, urged Beijing to ask "the Russian aggressor to stop the war" in Ukraine, stating that "no other country has more influence over Russia than China".
"I have to openly say that I wonder why the Chinese position so far does not include a request to the Russian aggressor to stop the war," the German diplomat said during a press conference with her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang.
(HANDLE).
