Australia’s Penny Wong says all countries want to see China not supply weapons to Russia

SYDNEY - Australia’s Foreign Minister said she raised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with her Chinese counterpart, telling reporters after their meeting that all countries want to see China “do the right thing” and not supply weapons to Russia.

Washington and its allies have said in recent weeks that China was considering providing Russia with weapons, which Beijing denies.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she raised Russia’s conduct in a meeting with China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang on the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting in New Delhi. Ms Wong told reporters that responsibility for what is occurring in Ukraine “lies at the feet of Russia”, but the world looks to China for responsible leadership on Ukraine, given its close relationship with Moscow.

“I would note that (Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky) himself has said he wants to believe that China will do the right thing and not supply weapons to Russia. And that is not only Australia’s call, but the call of all countries,” she said.

The US is sounding out close allies about the possibility of imposing new sanctions on China if Beijing provides Russia with military support for the war, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing four US officials and other sources.

A top Chinese diplomat in Australia published an opinion article in local media on Wednesday arguing that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) was the cause of the conflict, and though Russia was “encircled by Western countries”, it had not been brought down by sanctions or defeated on the battlefield.

“Worryingly, the crisis has now turned into a confrontation between Nato and Russia,” wrote Mr Ruan Zongze, China’s consul-general in Queensland state, adding that China would support Russia resolving the issue through negotiation. REUTERS