China is trying to distance itself from Russia as the scale of the invasion becomes clearer. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said it is “absolutely necessary” for all parties to exercise restraint to prevent the “conflict from spiraling out of control,” according to Bloomberg.
“China is following the development of the issue with Ukraine, and the current situation is something that China does not want to see,” Wang Yi said in telephone conversations with senior diplomats from Britain, France and the European Union, Xinhua news agency reported.
“The security of life and property of citizens must be effectively protected and, in particular, large-scale humanitarian crises must be prevented,” he added.
He made the announcement shortly after President Xi Jinping first spoke about the crisis, calling on Russian leader Vladimir Putin to resolve the issue by negotiating with the Ukrainians. Putin later said he was ready to talk with Ukraine about the country’s possible neutral status, but it was unclear when the talks would take place, or if they would even take place.
Last month, as tensions escalated, China sided with Russia and hosted Putin during the Beijing Olympics, saying their friendship knew no bounds. China also echoed Putin’s security concerns over NATO expansion and abstained on Friday on a draft UN Security Council resolution condemning the Russian invasion and Russia’s veto.
But China’s post-invasion statements suggest growing discomfort, especially amid news of heavy fighting in the capital, Kyiv and other cities.
One of the latest comments shows the change in tone of tense media briefings as soon as Putin ordered the military operation. On Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunying shifted the blame to the United States, questioned the use of the word “invasion” and underlined Russian comments that the military would avoid artillery strikes on cities.
On Friday, Wang signaled that China supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that Beijing supports the interests of “small and medium-sized countries.” While he hid some veiled criticism of the United States, the senior diplomat also called China a “responsible big country,” signaling Beijing’s concern about how the conflict in Russia could affect the world’s second-largest economy.
“China has always fulfilled its international obligations in good faith and played a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability throughout the world.”