Following a meeting between the Chinese and Russian foreign ministers, China said the two countries’ relations have “withstood the new test of changing international landscape.”
“China is ready to work with Russia to take China-Russia relations to a higher level in the new era,” China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Anhui Province.
In a statement, Wang Yi also voiced support for Russia and Ukraine “in overcoming difficulties and continuing peace talks” as well as for “efforts made by Russia and other parties to prevent a large-scale humanitarian crisis.”
“In the long run, we should draw lessons from the Ukraine crisis, respond to the legitimate security concerns of all parties based on the principle of mutual respect and indivisibility of security, build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture through dialogue and negotiation,” Wang Yi added.
More background: China is walking a tightrope as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues. While officials have said the Chinese president was alarmed at what has taken place since Russia invaded, there is little to indicate China is prepared to cut off its support entirely. The Chinese Communist Party leadership is not all in agreement regarding how to respond to Russia’s request for assistance, said a source. Two US officials said that China’s desire to avoid economic consequences may limit its appetite to help Russia.
“There is real concern by some that their involvement could hurt economic relationships with the West, on which China relies,” said one of the sources.
Officials are also monitoring whether China provides some economic and diplomatic relief for Russia in other forms, like abstention votes at the United Nations.
