China opposes Russia’s defeat in Ukraine war: ISW highlights key detail
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin (Photo: Getty Images)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas that Beijing does not want Russia to be defeated in the war in Ukraine, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
“Wang’s comments undercut Beijing’s claims of neutrality in the Ukraine war,” analysts note.
It is specified that on July 2, Wang Yi met with Kaja Kallas in Brussels. He said that Beijing does not want Russia to lose the war because, in that case, the US could shift its focus to countering China.
However, the minister denied that Beijing provides financial or military support to Russia, suggesting that Russia would have already won the war if that were the case. According to analysts, these comments were not included in the official EU and Chinese reports about the meeting.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning neither confirmed nor denied that Wang Yi made such statements. She only reiterated that China is not a party to the Ukraine conflict and that Beijing advocates for a diplomatic solution.
“Wang’s statements clarify that Beijing and Moscow see their futures as intertwined. This makes plain the infeasibility of policy premised on splitting Russia from the PRC for the purpose of focusing on the Indo-Pacific,” the ISW concluded.
Russia-China cooperation
Earlier reports revealed that Russia has sharply increased its metal exports to China, highlighting Moscow’s growing economic dependence on Beijing.
In April, China also reaffirmed its eternal friendship with Russia. The Chinese Foreign Minister stated that Beijing wants to participate in peace negotiations regarding Ukraine.
