China's ambassador to the European Union, Fu Cong, recently sought to clarify the nation's stance on the ongoing Ukraine conflict, downplaying the "no limits" friendship between China and Russia. In an interview with The New York Times, Fu emphasized that China remains neutral in the crisis and does not support Russia's actions in Ukraine.
"'No limit' is nothing but rhetoric," Fu stated, explaining that China has not offered military assistance to Russia or recognized the annexation of Ukrainian territories. He suggested that some individuals "deliberately misinterpret" the relationship between the two countries.
Fu reasoned that China's reluctance to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine stems from the complexity of the situation, with the country understanding Russia's defensive posture against NATO. He addressed the absence of communication between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, stating that lower-level contacts between the nations already exist, and Xi's inability to call Zelensky is due to his busy schedule.
"The fact that President Xi is not speaking to Zelensky does not signify that China is on the side of Russia on the Ukrainian issue," Fu said.
Prior to the invasion of Ukraine, Russia and China had proclaimed a "no limits" relationship in February 2022. In a joint declaration, Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed opposition to NATO's expansion in Eastern Europe, calling on the alliance to abandon its Cold War mentality and respect the sovereignty and security of other countries.
The two leaders also urged the U.S. to cancel plans for missile deployment in Europe and Asia and withdraw its nuclear weapons worldwide. Additionally, they criticized U.S. support for "color revolutions," which they view as foreign interference.
Despite the deepening relationship between Russia and China, Xi recently visited Russia to present a peace plan aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict, advocating for the resumption of peace talks and cessation of hostilities. Russia embraced the proposal, commending China's "unbiased position" on the matter and its willingness to contribute to a political and diplomatic settlement of the crisis.
