Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang stated that the Ukraine crisis is apparently driven by a "hidden hand" aimed at prolonging and escalating the conflict. He warned against the containment and repression policies pursued by Washington, emphasizing that China fully respects Middle Eastern countries and considers them capable of managing their own affairs, with no intention to fill what is referred to as a "vacuum."
During the annual parliament meeting in Beijing on Tuesday, he added that China will continue to defend justice and support countries in the region in their pursuit of a political resolution to heated issues through dialogue and consultation. He noted, "The hidden hand uses the Ukraine crisis to serve certain geopolitical agendas" and called for dialogue to commence as soon as possible.
He remarked, "Conflict, sanctions, and pressure will not solve the problem... Peace talks must begin as soon as possible, and the legitimate security concerns of all parties must be respected."
Qin’s reiteration of China’s stance on the Ukraine war comes amid increasing tensions between Beijing and the European Union, which has questioned China's sincerity as a mediator after it refused to label Russia as the aggressor in the conflict. Qin also pointed out that Beijing has not provided weapons to either side in the Ukraine conflict, amidst severe warnings from U.S. officials regarding unspecified "consequences" for China if it supplies lethal equipment to Russia.
He stated, "(China) is not a party to the crisis and has not supplied weapons to either side of the conflict. What is the basis for this talk of blame, sanctions, and threats against China? This is completely unacceptable."
### Relations with America
On another note, Qin blamed the United States for increasing tensions between Washington and Beijing, indicating that if the U.S. does not change its course, there will be "conflict and confrontation." He added that "the U.S. perceptions and views of China are highly distorted. It considers China its main competitor and its largest geopolitical challenge. This is like the first button on a shirt, if placed incorrectly."
He pointed out that while the U.S. claims to set governing rules for relations with China and does not seek conflict, what this practically means is that it is not expected for China to respond with words or actions when it faces slander or attack. Qin deemed that "this is impossible."
Relations between the two superpowers have been tense for years over issues including Taiwan, trade, and Ukraine, but they worsened after the controversy surrounding a balloon that the U.S. alleged was a Chinese spy device, which it shot down last month. Qin stated, "If the United States has ambitions to make itself great again, it must also have the mindset to accommodate the development of other countries. Containment and repression will not make America great nor halt China's development."
