Posted on: 03/03/2022 – 09:32
Beijing is in a delicate situation after the invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s strategic partner, China fears losing markets in the West, showing too much support for Moscow. She remains cautious in her statements and closely monitors the West’s reaction, observing Taiwan’s neighboring territory on her own.
How far the lyrical flights between Beijing and Moscow look. In a joint statement issued on February 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping said at the time that the friendship between the two countries was “unlimited” and no “area of co-operation” could be ruled out. Since then, Russia has begun its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the tone has changed. China is now in a precarious position.
© Graphic studio France Media World
As Europeans and Americans unequivocally condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine and unite to strike the Kremlin with a series of large-scale sanctions, China’s response to its neighbor’s military aggression is like a delicate balancing act.
In a statement on February 23, Chinese Foreign Ministry officials blamed the United States for tensions over Ukraine. Following Moscow’s rhetoric, they chose to call the war in Ukraine a “special military operation” instead of condemning it as an invasion on the first day of the conflict.
The situation in Ukraine poses a dilemma for China. On the one hand, its leaders are trying to maintain growing but fragile ties with Russia’s partner. On the other hand, this war puts the Chinese at odds with the principles of non-interference and respect for territorial integrity that dictate their foreign policy – principles that would run counter to Russia’s military aggression against neighboring countries.
China’s double speech
With this in mind, on February 25, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told senior European officials that China “strongly advocates respect for and protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the entire country.” […]which also applies to Ukraine. “But at the same time, Wang Yi softened his remarks, adding that given” five consecutive rounds of NATO enlargement to the east, “” Russia’s legitimate claims to security must be properly addressed. “
Another illustration of his ambiguous position, when he was invited to vote on a February 25 UN Security Council resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China abstained, leaving Moscow to oppose its veto on its own. In a telephone conversation between Xi and Putin the same day, the Chinese president disapproved of the attack on Ukraine, but said it was for “Russia and Ukraine to resolve the issue through dialogue,” Chinese state television reported.
Ukraine’s first trading partner
While Beijing and Moscow have become closer in recent years, experts say the partnership is far from unconditional, with China showing little inclination to show unequivocal support for Russia.
In fact, Beijing’s economic interests remain deeply tied to the West – and even Ukraine – despite broken ties and ideological tensions. China became the EU’s largest trading partner in 2021. Ukraine even overtook Russia in 2019, becoming Kyiv’s largest trading partner.
On the Russian side, the effects of international sanctions designed to paralyze the Russian economy are beginning to be felt. Therefore, Moscow may turn to China to try to mitigate their impact. But the country has so far shown no desire to help Russia avoid Western sanctions. For the Chinese, the risk of losing access to Western markets is too great. And Chinese state-owned banks have begun restricting the purchase of Russian raw materials in line with sanctions against Russia. Instead, China has said it will pursue “normal business cooperation” with both Russia and Ukraine.
“China wants to maintain ties with Moscow, respect its principles and avoid deteriorating relations with the United States and the European Union,” said Bonnie Glaser, director of the Asia program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
But the West’s coordinated and unprecedented response to Russian aggression could complicate China’s balancing act.
China and Russia: similar territorial interests
In addition, several experts on Sino-Russian relations have drawn parallels between China’s and Russia’s expansionist programs. This is the case with the Chinese authorities’ desire to achieve “unification” with Taiwan, by force if necessary.
Thus, Ming Jinwei, editor-in-chief of the Chinese state news agency XinHua, wrote in his blog WeChat that it is in China’s interest to provide even remote support to Russia in the Ukrainian crisis. because Beijing will need Moscow’s support to establish its dominance over Taiwan.
Russia is already in a very clear position with China on Taiwan. Sergei Lavrov, the country’s foreign minister, said last year that “Russia considers Taiwan part of the People’s Republic of China.”
China is paying close attention to the West’s reaction to Ukraine
In addition, Taiwan is following the situation in Ukraine very closely. And it’s no coincidence that a delegation of former U.S. military and security officials sent by President Joe Biden visited the island on March 1. A gesture that reassured the Taiwanese government.
A gesture that China did not appreciate. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman called the new US support for Taiwan “useless”. “The will of the Chinese people to protect our national sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering,” Wang Wenbin said during a daily press briefing. Chinese officials have also used the same terms to express the country’s respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
For Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, an expert on China’s international relations interviewed by France 24, Chinese authorities are monitoring the West’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to see how far Westerners can go. “EU member states are acting decisively, which few expected from a bloc that is often seen as divided and weak. It is important for Beijing to monitor this development to see how far and how quickly Europeans can and will act if China changes the status quo with Taiwan. “
Taiwanese and Taiwanese Slavs protest Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in Taipei on February 25, 2022. © AFP
In Taipei, where the war in Ukraine is therefore gaining a very special resonance, dozens of people have shown support for Ukrainians for several days.
“The Chinese Communist Party must watch with concern the resilience of the Ukrainian people, who have won the support and solidarity of the Taiwanese people. This is another reason for China to reconsider its plans for Taiwan,” said Juja Anna Ferenci.
The article is adapted from English. Find the original here.