Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on March 7 that China had all talked about the Ukrainian crisis and would not take action, as Beijing refused to condemn the invasion of Moscow’s neighbors.
“Beijing talks a lot about the importance of international order, stability and respect for sovereignty,” Blinken said. Said In Vilnius during a joint press conference with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.
“But today and in 2014, Beijing’s actions are far more than the word, as Vilnius’s coercion has so far failed to condemn Moscow’s serious breach of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. I’m talking loudly to him, “he said.
China implicitly supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Its support includes refusing to call the Moscow attack an aggression and abstaining twice in a UN vote.
A few weeks before the invasion, China and Russia declared the partnership “unrestricted” after a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
On Monday, China reaffirmed its partnership with Russia, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the two neighbors enjoyed a “solid” relationship. When asked if Western sanctions on Russia could affect bilateral relations, the king said the relations were “free from third-party interference and discord.”
He added that the two countries “steadily advance a comprehensive strategic partnership for coordination for a new era.”
The king also said China was ready to act as an intermediary between Ukraine and Russia.
Senator Jim Riche (R-Aidaho), a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, questioned China’s desire to act as a mediator in a Twitter post on Monday.
“# China is pretending to be neutral to # Russia’s #Ukraine invasion, but Xi Jinping chose # Putin’s side,” Rish said. I have written.. “China is only providing mediation to ease international criticism of its relations with Russia. Everyone who uses #StandWithUkraine should not trust this.”
Landsbergis compared Russia’s motivation for invading Ukraine with China’s coercion against Lithuania.
“In both cases, it’s about advocating for similar principles. With respect to the borders of other countries, with respect to geopolitics, and with respect to European security architecture, one force is challenging a rule-based order.” He said.
“Other top powers are trying to bend globally agreed trade rules and use trade as a political tool and, in some cases, as a weapon, to divert the country,” Landsbergis added. “It is said.”
Relations between China and Lithuania began to deteriorate last summer after Vilnius allowed Taipei to open a representative office in the Baltic States under the name “Taiwan.” Beijing retaliated against Vilnius’ decision by downgrading its diplomatic relations with the Baltic States.
The Chinese government has also resorted to economic coercion tactics against Lithuania, including blocking Lithuanian goods at Chinese ports.
Blinken made a similar call to China over the weekend, talking about the need for the administration to speak out about the crisis in Ukraine.
“The world is watching which countries support the basic principles of freedom, self-determination and sovereignty,” he told the king on March 5 on the phone.
A day later, Blinken told CNN that China needed to “stand up and hear its voice.”
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Frank Fang is a Taiwan-based journalist. He covers news in China and Taiwan. He holds a master’s degree in materials science from Tsinghua University in Taiwan.