WASHINGTON | Beijing is not sending military assistance to Moscow for its offensive in Ukraine, the Chinese ambassador to the United States said on Sunday, without specifying whether this position also applied to the future.
“There is misinformation that China is providing military assistance to Russia. We reject it,” said Qin Gang, interviewed by CBS.
“China sends food, medicine, sleeping bags and powdered milk, not weapons or ammunition to the parties (to the conflict),” he continued. “We will do everything possible for a de-escalation”.
The ambassador, however, deliberately avoided indicating whether this position held for the future, two days after US President Joe Biden warned his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that there would be ‘consequences’ if Beijing provided material support. to Russia.
Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Chinese communist regime, sharing with Russia a deep hostility towards the United States, has refrained from urging Vladimir Putin to withdraw his troops from Ukraine.
On Sunday, Ambassador Qin Gang defended Beijing’s refusal to condemn the Russian armed offensive.
“A conviction does not solve the problem. I would be surprised if Russia backed down from the convictions,” the diplomat said.
Asked if Xi Jinping had asked Vladimir Putin to end his invasion of Ukraine, Qin Gang kicked in, saying, “On the second day of Russia’s military operation, the President Xi Jinping spoke well to President Vladimir Putin, to ask President Putin to consider a resumption of peace talks”.