KNews.id- China and Russia in recent years have established close diplomatic relations with each other. But could it be that the ongoing war in Ukraine is breaking these ties. Launching Express.co.uk, Saturday (5/3), until now, Beijing has chosen to raise its hand in the war between Russia-Ukraine.
Emphasizing its neutral status in the conflict, China has abstained from two United Nations (UN) votes on Russian aggression, rather than joining the Kremlin’s efforts to block them.
The most recent of these votes took place last Wednesday in which 141 of the 193 member states voted to demand Russia’s immediate withdrawal from Ukraine. Despite not taking part in the vote, China’s ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun made comments that could anger senior officials in Moscow.
Zhang called for respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and integrity.He said: “Ukraine should be a bridge between East and West, not an outpost of confrontation between the great powers.”Earlier this week a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said that Sino-Russian relations were a “strategic partnership”, not an “ally”.
However, Zhang added that Russia’s concerns about North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) efforts to expand and invite Ukraine to join as a member need to be heard.So if Xi wants to turn his back on Russian President Vladimir Putin, what’s the reason?Britain, the US and a number of allies have hit Moscow with various sanctions to cripple Russia’s economy. A number of Russian and SWIFT banks have been blocked. As the world’s largest trading nation, China is concerned about the repercussions.
This is because many Chinese banks have close ties to Russian financial companies. The stakes are also high for Chinese companies, as 254 of them are listed on US stock exchanges.Elsewhere, Beijing is the biggest importer of crude oil and will feel the full impact of rising oil prices, which have already touched $100 (£76) a barrel. After Saudi Arabia, Russia is China’s biggest oil source.In fact, China could face significant difficulties in buying Russian crude after Russia is excluded from the international payment system. However, officials between the two countries have worked on a payment process that does not require access to SWIFT for bilateral trade.
China’s “neutrality” stance also exposes Beijing’s ignorance of Putin’s potential attack on Ukraine. The conflict has now raged on for more than a week with both sides claiming to have inflicted heavy casualties on the other. (AHM/intisari)
