In a news conference on Friday, China’s Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, stated that China will not sell weapons to either party of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, explicitly denying Western suspicions that China may provide military assistance to Russia. Qin added that China will regulate the export of items that have dual civilian and military use. China has maintained its neutrality in the conflict while supporting Russia politically, rhetorically, and economically at a time when Western countries have imposed sanctions and sought to isolate Moscow for its invasion of its neighbor. Qin is the highest-ranking Chinese official to publicly affirm this position.
Qin also stated that China is willing to help find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. In the same conference, Qin blamed Taiwan’s government for heightened regional tensions after Beijing held large-scale military drills to intimidate the island it claims as its own territory. Qin’s remarks echo China’s rejection of criticisms from the West, particularly the United States. Under the leadership of Xi Jinping, China has sharpened its rhetoric on various issues, including Taiwan, which split from mainland China amid a civil war in 1949.
Qin stated that Taiwan’s pursuit of independence and its foreign supporters, referring to the United States, were the reason for the tensions around the island. However, Qin insisted that Taiwan was China’s internal affair and that independence and peace could not co-exist. Baerbock, Germany’s Foreign Minister who was present at the news conference, warned that a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, which is a key route for international trade, would bring global disaster. Baerbock emphasized the need to resolve conflicts peacefully, stating that a unilateral change of the status quo would be unacceptable to Europeans.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow last month highlighted how Beijing is becoming Russia’s senior partner as it provides the country with an economic lifeline and political cover. China’s Defense Minister, Gen. Li Shangfu, is expected to visit Russia next week for meetings with his counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, and other military officials.