China Should Follow China’s Position On Russia-Ukraine War

China recently released its position on the “political settlement of the Ukraine crisis” as its ongoing war with Russia just hit its one-year anniversary.

The list of policies that China calls for both warring countries to follow range from respecting sovereignty to securing food and industrial supply chains. In the interest of taking a neutral stance, Beijing’s position appears vague and filled with platitudes.

In the statement, China called for “respecting the sovereignty of all countries” and “ceasing hostilities.”

“All countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international community,” the statement read.

It is noteworthy that China has also a territorial dispute against its neighboring territories, particularly Taiwan and Hong Kong, which the mainland claims to be part of its sovereign. While a war has been staved off for now, Beijing is not one to back down in matching hostilities from foreign powers on its claimed territories.

Beijing has also “bullied” its Southeast Asian neighbors with respect to the disputed territories in the South China Sea. While the Philippines has already secured an arbitral ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands invalidating Beijing’s nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea, the mainland is still ramping up building military bases over the disputed territories, bullying Filipino fisherfolk away from the so-called claimed islands.

China supplying drones to Russia?

China also called for “abandoning the Cold War mentality,” adding that “all parties should oppose the pursuit of one’s own security at the cost of others’ security, prevent bloc confrontation, and work together for peace and stability of the Eurasian continent.” But Beijing’s recent actions go against such position.

For one, China is part of the emerging international bloc group BRICS, together with Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa. The organization, in its 12th summit, conducted the meet jointly with Shanghai Cooperation Organisation–the east’s version of NATO–in an attempt to solidify and widen the base of the alternative global bloc.

China is also reportedly working with Russia in its war against Ukraine. According to German news site Der Spiegel, Beijing and Moscow are negotiating the purchase of 100 strike drones, which might be delivered as soon as April.

“We are very concerned that China is considering providing lethal support to Russia in its aggression against Ukraine,” US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told NBC. “And I made clear that that would have serious consequences in our relationship as well.”

According to the source, the Russian military is in talks with Chinese drone maker Xi’an Bingo Intelligent Aviation Technologies about mass-producing kamikaze drones for Russia. The discoveries add urgency to the discussion over prospective China military assistance to Russia.

Bingo is said to have promised to build and test 100 ZT-180 prototype drones before delivering them to Russia’s Defense Ministry in April 2023. Military specialists think the ZT-180 can carry a warhead weighing 35 to 50 kilograms.

The drone maker also reportedly aims to send components and know-how to Russia in order for the country to create roughly 100 drones each month on its own.

The German government also has information indicating that China is delivering commercially available drones to Russian customers for reconnaissance reasons as part of the war in Ukraine. These devices are referred to as dual-use by military personnel since they can be used in both civilian and military applications.

Der Spiegel also wrote that the drones are delivered to Russian forces via the United Arab Emirates by Chinese-controlled import-export companies. According to people familiar with the analyses of these deals, there is evidence that Russian forces have deployed such drones to conduct reconnaissance along the Ukrainian front.

China promptly retaliated, with a Foreign Ministry spokesperson accusing Blinken of spreading disinformation.

“It is a known fact that NATO countries, including the U.S., are the biggest source of weaponry for the battlefield in Ukraine, yet they keep claiming that China may be supplying weapons to Russia,” the spokesperson told Der Spiegel. “This is a familiar trick used and exposed soon after the Ukraine crisis broke out… We urge NATO to quit groundless speculation and smears against China on the Ukraine issue.”

Separately, other ongoing rumours related to China suggest that the country is considering sending artillery ammunition to Russia as well, despite its recent policy.

Deputy Director of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wang Wenbin recently castigated the US in his speech, calling the Western country the “largest producer of war” as he outlines the statistics of US’s wars at home and overseas.

“The US has not fought in just 16 years of its 240-year history,” Wenbin said. “As long as America’s hegemonic policies and belligerent tendencies continue, there will be no peace in the world.

In its position on Ukraine crisis, China also called for “stopping unilateral sanctions.” Despite the aim to stay neutral, this call automatically sides with Russia who’s been on the receiving end of economic sanctions from the US, EU, and allied nations.

Information for this briefing was found via Der Spiegel, Politico, The Wall Street Journal, and the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.