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Beijing’s friendship with Moscow is still very strong, China’s foreign minister said today, following signs it was wavering in the wake of devastating international sanctions put on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Wang Yi also offered Beijing’s help in mediating peace between the two countries, and backed ties with Moscow despite international condemnation of Russia’s actions that have resulted in thousands of deaths and a growing humanitarian crisis.
‘The friendship between the two peoples is rock-solid, and both sides’ future cooperation prospects are very vast,’ said Wang at an annual press briefing.
He added that China would send humanitarian aid to Ukraine and was ‘willing to work with the international community to carry out necessary mediation’.
China has refused to condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine or call it an invasion while asking Western countries to respect Russia’s ‘legitimate security concerns.’
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been relying on his country’s close ties to China to bail him out of the widespread sanctions that have hit the economy hard.
‘No matter how sinister the international situation is, both China and Russia will maintain their strategic determination and continuously push forward the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era,’ he said.
Wang called the causes of the ‘Ukraine situation’ ‘complex’, saying they had not happened overnight.
‘Solving complex problems requires calmness and rationality, rather than adding fuel to the fire and intensifying contradictions,’ he told a news conference on the sidelines of the annual meeting of China’s parliament.