By Kevin Yao
BOAO, China – Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated China’s opposition to unilateral sanctions and “long-armed jurisdiction” in a speech on Thursday, making no direct mention of Western punitive measures against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
China has repeatedly criticized Western sanctions, including those against Russia, but it has also been wary of giving Moscow any aid that could lead to sanctions against Beijing.
In a video address ahead of the annual Boao Forum for Asia meeting on the southern Chinese island of Hainan, Xi warned that economic “decoupling” and pressure tactics like disrupting supply chains would not work.
“China wants to propose a global security initiative” that upholds “the principle of the indivisibility of security,” Xi said.
“We should uphold the principle of the indivisibility of security, build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture, and oppose building national security on the basis of insecurity in other countries.”
Russia has insisted Western governments respect a 1999 agreement based on the principle of “indivisible security,” according to which no country can strengthen its own security at the expense of others.
China and Russia have drawn ever closer ties, and China has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a “special operation.” China blames NATO’s eastward expansion for the Ukraine crisis.
Xi said efforts are needed to stabilize global supply chains, but also said China’s economy is resilient and its long-term trend has not changed.
China’s economy is facing headwinds from the impact of its aggressive efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, particularly in its economic hub of Shanghai. Xi made no mention of China’s COVID crisis during the speech.
(Reporting by Kevin Yao, writing by Tony Munroe and Yew Lun Tian; Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Bernard Orr and Simon Cameron-Moore)