China has defended its “everlasting friendship” with Russia and slammed the US for trying to establish an “Indo-Pacific version of Nato”, bucking international calls to condemn Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, on Monday reaffirmed an “unequivocal message to the world that China and Russia jointly oppose attempts to revive the cold war mindset”.
“No matter how precarious and challenging the international situation may be, China and Russia will maintain strategic focus and steadily advance our comprehensive strategic partnership co-ordination for a new era,” he said.
The comments from China’s top diplomat came just days after Ukraine’s declaration that Beijing had assured Kyiv it would help stop the war, renewing focus on Beijing’s potential role in pressuring Russia to back down.
Since the start of the Russian invasion, China has abstained in two UN votes, including a security council resolution condemning the invasion and a call for Russia to withdraw its troops. Beijing has also criticised international sanctions…
