Beijing is keen to deepen its ties with Moscow despite Russia’s ongoing incursion into Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday.
Wang, speaking via video link at a conference in the Chinese capital, defended his country’s position on the war in Ukraine and signaled that China would deepen ties with Russia in the coming year.
He also blamed America for worsening relations between the world’s two largest economies, saying that China “strongly rejected the misguided US policy towards China.”
China has taken a stand against Western pressure on trade, technology, human rights, and its claim to a vast portion of the Western Pacific, accusing the US of intimidation.
His refusal to condemn the invasion of Ukraine and join others in imposing sanctions on Russia has further weakened ties and deepened the rift with much of Europe.
Wang said China will “deepen strategic mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation” with Russia. Last week, the warships of the two countries held joint naval exercises in the East China Sea.
“With regard to the Ukrainian crisis, we have consistently adhered to the fundamental principles of objectivity and impartiality, neither favoring one side nor adding fuel to the fire, much less seeking self-interest from the situation,” Wang said. the official text of his speech.
While China has found common ground with Russia as both countries are under pressure from the West, its economic future is still tied to US and European markets and technology.
Leader Xi Jinping is pushing Chinese industry to become more self-sufficient, but Wang acknowledged that experience has shown that “China and the United States cannot separate or sever supply chains.”
He said China would seek to get relations with the US back on track, saying they had deteriorated sharply because “the United States persists in viewing China as its main competitor and is engaging in blatant blockade, suppression and provocation against China.”
Wang and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke by phone late last week. The State Department said Blinken discussed the need for responsible management of US-China relations and expressed concern about Russia’s war against Ukraine and the threats it poses to global security and economic stability.
Wang accused the US of “one-sided bullying” and said China would continue to play a constructive role in resolving the Ukraine crisis in its own way, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
