China warned on Thursday U.S that in order to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, “Russia’s legitimate concerns must be respected”, while calling for “calm and restraint” from all parties to avoid further tensions.
(Read here: US and NATO reject Russia’s demands on Ukraine, what comes next?)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a telephone conversation on Thursday with his US counterpart, Antony Blinken, in which he argued that the military “expansion”, referring to the NATO“will not guarantee regional security” at a time of maximum concern about the concentration of russian troops on the border with Ukraine.
(Also: Russia says it finds the idea of a war with Ukraine unacceptable)
Wang used the occasion to once again criticize “the Cold War mentality” of
The United States: “In the 21st century there can be no bloc politics,” said the diplomat, who added that “a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism is necessary, which is reached through negotiations.”
Keep calm and refrain from taking actions that increase tension
“But Russia’s security concerns are reasonable, and they must be taken seriously and resolved,” he stressed.
Beijing suggested going back to the Minsk Agreements: “That agreement was approved by the UN Security Council. It is a document recognized by all parties and must be implemented.” “China will support all efforts in that direction,” said the Chinese foreign minister.
(You may be interested: Russia believes there is little reason for optimism in US responses.)
Meanwhile, Washington continues to prepare for a confrontation scenario, with the delivery of more military material to Kiev and the recommendation of its citizens in Ukraine to leave the country in the face of the potential invasion.
“Keep calm and refrain from taking actions that will escalate tension,” Wang advised.
A Beijing-Moscow axis, a puzzle for Washington
The statements come just two days after the Russian ambassador to China, Andrey Denisov, stated at a press conference that “there is no need for China and Russia to establish a military alliance,” according to Chinese journalists on Twitter.
Beijing and Moscow agree on their commitment to what they consider “multilateralism” and “the abandonment of mentalities typical of the Cold War”, something that Denisov emphasized by stressing that military alliances such as NATO are “outdated”.
The close ties between the two powers have raised suspicions about the extent to which Beijing would support Moscow in a hypothetical invasion of Ukraine, especially considering that in less than a week the Winter Olympics will open in Beijing, to which the president Russian, Vladimir PutinYou have confirmed your attendance.
“If the tensions in Ukraine degenerate into a Russian invasion of that country, Washington would be in trouble. It would force it to divert its attention from China, a country that focuses its foreign policy priority, perhaps indefinitely,” explains the Spanish expert Xulio Ríos, director of the Chinese Policy Observatory.
According to the academic, a further strengthening of the Moscow-Beijing axis could create a “pincer effect” on Washington, “evidencing a greater strategic vulnerability” on its part.
“Beijing and Moscow have been maintaining a close strategic association that seeks to strengthen their respective authoritarian regimes, counterbalance the US presence and expand their corresponding areas of influence. But, now, both could be coordinated,” warns the researcher.
China-US relations. US under review
On the sidelines, Wang reviewed this Thursday with Blinken the state of bilateral relations, and criticized Washington for “not changing its policies regarding China” after the telematic meeting held in November by Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping.
“The United States should stop forming anti-China cliques. Relations are facing new disturbances two months after that meeting,” he observed.
Wang specified that the priority for China is that Washington “stop interfering” in the Winter Olympics -they will begin in Beijing on February 4-, to which the US imposed a diplomatic boycott to which other countries such as Australia joined. or Canada.
Likewise, the foreign minister urged the United States to “stop playing with fire” with respect to Taiwan, an island whose sovereignty Beijing claims.
“Biden assured us that the US is not seeking a new cold war, is not seeking to change China’s system, is not seeking to form alliances to oppose China, and is not supportive of Taiwan’s ‘independence’. A different, positive message.” compared to the previous administration. But what the world sees now is that the tone has not matched the facts,” he said.
Blinken, according to the text released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, questioned that “nothing has changed” and that the United States remains “willing” to work with China to “manage” the differences between the two powers.
For his part, Blinken warned his Chinese counterpart of “the economic and global security risks posed by further Russian aggression against Ukraine and agreed that de-escalation and diplomacy are the responsible way to proceed,” said his spokesman Ned Price.
EFE
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