On the first anniversary of the Russo-Ukrainian war, China released a Chinese position paper on a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis, although both Russia and Ukraine expressed appreciation for China's position paper.
But the U.S. has pushed its accusations against China to a peak on the first anniversary.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that China has been providing non-lethal assistance to Russia through its companies, and now it is considering providing lethal assistance.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that if China makes a decision to aid Russia, it will pay a real price.
The United States keeps warning not to provide lethal assistance to Russia, which is tantamount to continuously binding China and Russia.
It tells all parties from another side-China is choosing sides.
On February 24, 2023, the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China published China's position paper.
(Screenshot from the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China)
Looking at China's position papers and China's words and deeds all along, China regards the United States as the instigator and fueler of the crisis.
The second article in the position paper, "Abandoning the Cold War mentality," is very critical of the United States.
Article 10 "Stop Unilateral Sanctions" and Article 11 "Ensure the Stability of the Industrial and Supply Chains" both covertly criticize the United States for privately using unilateral sanctions and disrupting the stability of the industrial chain.
China's position paper seems to be balanced. On the one hand, it sympathizes with Ukraine morally and respects its territorial integrity. On the other hand, it opposes the use of nuclear weapons, implying that it disapproves of Russia's nuclear blackmail.
But we all know that the root of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is the contradiction between the United States and Russia, and it is a geopolitical event caused by NATO's eastward expansion.
Has the heavy-handed criticism of the United States already indicated China's attitude?
Especially at the moment when the game between China and the United States is becoming increasingly fierce, the closeness of Sino-Russian relations and the increasingly tense Sino-US relations exist at the same time, and it is easy for all parties to think that China is naturally siding with Russia.
How to clarify that being anti-American is not pro-Russian is difficult.
China tried its best to disregard its support for Russia, but avoided direct criticism of Russia's invasion of Ukrainian territory, which is enough to show that China has a relationship between Russia and Ukraine.
China generally agrees with Russia's analysis of the root causes of the crisis and Russia's accusations against NATO, especially the United States.
How does China, which supports Russia in its overall strategy, clarify that it does not side with Russia in the Russia-Ukraine conflict?
On March 15, 2022, Qin Gang published a signed article entitled "Our Position on the Ukraine Issue" in the Washington Post.
(Screenshot of Washington Post)
As early as March 2022, after the Russian-Ukraine conflict broke out, Qin Gang, the current Chinese foreign minister and then Chinese ambassador to the United States, published an article entitled "Our Position on the Ukraine Issue" in the "Washington Post". The article stated that "On Ukraine, China's position is objective and impartial” (China’s position on the Ukraine issue is objective and impartial).
When interviewed by the media afterwards, facing the reporter asked whether it meant that China's position was objective, fair but not neutral.
Qin Gang didn't respond directly, but said there was a subtle difference between neutrality and justice.
There is indeed a difference between neutrality and impartiality. Does Qin Gang's statement mean that China looks at issues according to the right and wrong, rather than purely neutral?
China claims to uphold an objective and fair position on the Ukraine issue, but if it continues to exaggerate its position of criticizing the United States as it does now, it is hard to say it is neutral.
This will also fundamentally mean that China cannot mediate the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, because the United States will not accept Chinese mediation.
The First Anniversary of the Russo-Ukrainian War｜Knowing that Ukraine and the West will question why China put forward 12 points of position The First Anniversary of the Actual Russo-Ukraine War︱The China-U.S.-Russia Triangle Changes: Will Russia Become a vassal of China?
