China on Thursday warned NATO “not to provoke conflict” over its ties with Russia after the alliance accused Beijing of playing a key role in backing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
China has “become a crucial enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” NATO leaders said in a communique at a summit in Washington on Wednesday.
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The report said Beijing’s “so-called ‘no-holds-barred’ partnerships” and “extensive support for Russia’s defence industrial base” were of “serious concern”.
In response, a spokesman for the European Union delegation in Beijing said: “NATO should stop stoking the so-called China threat and stoking conflict and competition, and contribute more to world peace and stability.”
“Everyone knows that China is not the cause of the Ukraine crisis. China’s stance towards Ukraine is open and fair,” they added.
China has refused to condemn Russian aggression and last year issued a document calling for a “political solution” to the conflict, which Western countries say could allow Russia to keep much of the territory it has seized in Ukraine.
Since the invasion, the strategic partnership between China and Russia has grown closer.
Beijing has declared itself neutral in the war and says it has not sent lethal aid to either side, unlike the United States and other Western countries.
But trade has boomed since the conflict began, providing a vital lifeline for Russia’s isolated economy.
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There is a terrible war going on in Europe right now, and we have no excuse for hesitating to fully support and reward Ukrainians who are defending the eastern flank of Europe from enemies who are cannon fodder for the Kremlin.
But the economic partnership has come under increasing scrutiny from Western countries in recent months, with Washington vowing to go after financial institutions that support Moscow’s war effort.
The United States and Europe also accuse Beijing of selling parts and equipment needed to sustain Moscow’s military production.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in April that this included “machine tools, semiconductors, and other dual-use products that have helped rebuild Russia’s defense industrial base, which has been severely degraded by sanctions and export controls.”
China has denied allegations that it is supporting Russia’s fighting in Ukraine and stressed that it does not accept “criticism or pressure” on its ties with Moscow.
And on Thursday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry accused its ally of “bias, slander and provocation.”
“NATO’s rhetoric about China’s responsibility in Ukraine is unjust and malicious,” spokesman Lin Jiang said.
“We call on NATO to reflect on the root causes of the crisis and its own actions, instead of shifting the blame to others, listen carefully to the legitimate voices of the international community, and take concrete steps to de-escalate the situation.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Russia was planning “response measures” to contain a “very serious threat” from NATO, Russian news agencies quoted him as saying.
Peskov also said the Western military alliance, whose leaders are meeting in Washington this week, is now “fully involved in the conflict over Ukraine.”
