China’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday accused the U.S. of creating “fear and panic” over the Ukraine crisis and called for talks to de-escalate increasing tensions.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the country is opposed to the new sanctions imposed on Russia and said the U.S. was worsening tensions by providing weapons to Ukraine, according to The Associated Press. However, she did not mention Russia’s amassment of over 190,000 troops on the Ukrainian border or efforts by the West to engage with Russia diplomatically.
“On the Ukraine issue, unlike the U.S., which keeps sending weapons to Ukraine, creating fear and panic and even playing up the threat of war, China has been calling on all parties to respect and pay attention to each other’s legitimate security concerns, work together to solve problems through negotiations and consultations, and maintain regional peace and stability,” Hua said during a daily briefing, according to the AP.
She added that those accusing China of contradicting its stance on respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity were “either driven by ulterior motives or deliberately distorting or misinterpreting China.”
“To correctly and objectively understand the Ukraine situation and seek a rational and peaceful solution, it is necessary to understand the merits of the Ukraine issue and properly address relevant countries’ legitimate security concerns on the basis of equality and mutual respect,” Hua said.
Hua condemned the initial sanctions put forward by President Biden, saying that those sanctions, as well as others, have not been effective in lessening tensions while causing “serious difficulties to relevant countries’ economies and livelihoods,” the news outlet reported.
“The U.S. should never undermine the legitimate rights and interests of China and other parties when dealing with the Ukraine issue and relations with Russia,” Hua said.
Hua reiterated China’s long-standing support for Russia. Earlier this month, Chinese leader Xi Jinping hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin at a discussion in Beijing. The two leaders issued a joint statement demanding Ukraine not be let into NATO and Western countries remove military equipment in eastern Europe.