Beijing rejects Trump call to pressure China on Ukraine
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China has never denounced Russia’s war or called for it to withdraw its troops.
PHOTO: AFP
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BEIJING – Beijing said on Sept 5 it “strongly opposes” calls to put economic pressure on China, after US President Donald Trump urged European countries to do so over the war in Ukraine.
China has never denounced Russia’s war or called for it to withdraw its troops, and many of Ukraine’s allies believe that Beijing has provided support to Moscow.
China insists it is a neutral party, regularly calling for an end to the fighting while also accusing Western countries of prolonging the conflict by arming Ukraine.
Speaking by videoconference with European leaders gathered in Paris on Sept 4, Mr Trump urged them to put pressure on China, and also said “Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that is funding the war”, a senior White House official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Asked on Sept 5 about Mr Trump’s comments, China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing was “neither creator of this (Ukraine) crisis nor a party to it”.
“We firmly oppose the practice of constantly dragging China into the matter, and we strongly oppose the imposition of so-called economic pressure on China,” spokesman Guo Jiakun told a press briefing.
Moscow and Beijing declared a “no limits partnership” shortly before Mr Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s Ukraine offensive
China’s President Xi Jinping stood next to Mr Putin and North Korean leader
Beijing has said its invitation of “foreign guests” was to “work together with peace-loving countries and peoples to remember history”.
Asked twice by a journalist on Sept 5 to answer “yes” or “no” as to whether China considered Mr Putin’s Russia a “peace-loving country”, Mr Guo declined to directly answer. AFP
