China clarifies stance on ties with Russia

Beijing. China says its bilateral relations with Russia are based on no alliance and are not targeted at any third party, which makes it unacceptable to blame, sanction, or even threaten the communist country for the Ukraine crisis.

At a press conference here on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Mr Quin Gang said that China-Russia relations are not a threat to any country, nor are they subject to any interference or discord sown by any third party. The press briefing was attended by hundreds of local and foreign journalists.

Quin’s statement comes at a time when the notion that cooperation between the two big countries is reminiscent of cold war alliances has gained traction, but Mr Quin stressed that the ties between the two provide a driving force for multi-polarity.

“The more unstable the world becomes, the more imperative it is for China and Russia to advance their ties; countries that are inclined to view China-Russia relations through the lens of Cold War alliances see nothing but their own image,” he said.

Mr Qin responded to the question of whether the two nations would stop using the US dollar and the Euro in their trade by saying that “whichever currencies are efficient, safe, and credible should be used, and currencies should not be trump cards for unilateral sanctions, much less a disguise for bullying or coercion.”

On the Ukraine crisis, Mr Quin said China did not create the crisis, is not a party to the crisis, and has not provided weapons to either side of the conflict.

“China calls for peace, dialogue, and de-escalation of the crisis, but efforts for peace talks have been repeatedly undermined.” “There seems to be an invisible hand pushing for the protraction and escalation of the conflict and using the crisis for certain geopolitical agendas,” he said.

About China-US relations, Mr Quin, who once served as China’s Ambassador to the US before the current appointment, said the so-called competition is meant to contain and suppress China in all respects and get the two countries locked in a zero-sum game.

“If the US continues to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing.” “And there will surely be conflict and confrontation,” he said.