Bipartisan U.S. Congress Define How China Seek Russia Invasion
Bipartisan U.S. Congress Define How China Seek Russia Invasion
After nearly 40-days Russia invaded Ukraine (*really detail day-by-day this war, click here), US-China Bipartisan Congress commission released a new resource tracking the key actions and statements summarizing China’s official position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022.
[Timeline in reverse order, most recent event on top]
*until April 7th DC time 9.20 am/Beijing time 10.20 pm, not yet official statement by Beijing (Xi Jinping or Li Keqiang or FM Wang Yi, or another high-ranking Chinese government) about potential visit by Senator Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. No specific date, because this morning Pelosi announce she got (positive) covid.
For context of historic/remarkable visit:
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar visited Taiwan on Aug. 9-12 2020. Azar was the highest ranking sitting U.S. administration official to visit Taipei since Washington switched official ties to Beijing in 1979.
April 1, 2022:
[Action] The Times of London reports that China coordinated a large cyberattack on Ukrainian military and nuclear facilities prior to the Russian ground invasion. According to the Times reporting, the computer network exploitation attacks, designed to steal data or gain intelligence about how to exploit network vulnerabilities and disrupt defense and civilian infrastructure, targeted over 600 websites, including Ukrainian military and government networks. The cyberattacks reportedly peaked on February 23, the day before Russia invaded Ukraine. A Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) colonel who spoke with the Times stated that the cyberattacks had characteristics unique to the tools and methods used by the cyberwarfare unit of the People’s Liberation Army. A SBU spokesperson denies that the SBU provided the Times’ with official information. Nonetheless, the UK National Cyber Security Centre launches an investigation into the allegations.
[Statement] General Secretary of the CCP Xi Jinping videoconferences with President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen during the EU-China Summit. General Secretary Xi lays out China’s priorities in resolving the Ukraine crisis, saying China seeks to promote peace talks and refrain from “add[ing] fuel to the fire and heighten[ing] tensions”; prevent a humanitarian crisis; foster lasting peace in Europe and the Eurasian continent through a “balanced, effective, and sustainable security framework in Europe”; and prevent the regional conflict from magnifying. He also urges Europe to “form its own perception of China [and] adopt an independent China policy.” Michel reportedly invites General Secretary Xi to speak directly with President Zelenskyy, but he does not make a commitment during the meeting.
[Statement] The People’s Daily publishes an authoritative “Zhong Sheng” commentary which excoriates the United States for opposing the establishment of a “verification mechanism” under the Biological Weapons Convention after the Kremlin alleged that the United States is conducting chemical biological weapons activities in Ukraine. A U.S. State Department press release said “these claims have been debunked conclusively and repeatedly over many years.” The People’s Daily commentary is the fourth in a series titled “Viewing American hegemony from the Ukrainian crisis.” “Zhong Sheng” commentaries are commentary on major international affairs by editors and staff at People’s Daily. They are approved at the highest levels before publication.
March 31, 2022:
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi and stresses that the “no one has the right to divide” the Group of 20 (G20), an intergovernmental forum comprising the world’s major economies. Wang’s comments come as the United States and its allies hold discussions about excluding Russia from G20. Indonesia currently holds the G20 chair for 2022.
[Statement] The People’s Daily publishes a “Zhong Sheng” commentary which elaborates on the “destructive consequences” of a Cold War mentality and the “United States-led NATO,” drawing a parallel between the present Ukraine crisis and the NATO bombing campaign during the 1999 Kosovo War in Yugoslavia. This commentary is the third in a series of commentaries titled “Viewing American hegemony from the Ukrainian crisis.”
March 30, 2022:
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Anhui Province ahead of a meeting on the Afghanistan crisis. Lavrov briefs Wang on the Russia-Ukraine talks, and both parties reiterate the strength and resiliency of China-Russia relations.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin comments on a potential Russia-Ukraine peace deal, while avoiding a direct answer to the question of whether China will serve as a guarantor of such a deal. Wang also qualifies Russia-Chinese cooperation as limitless with regard to the pursuit of peace, efforts to safeguard security, and opposition to hegemony.
[Statement] The People’s Daily publishes a “Zhong Sheng” commentary that asserts the United States is using Ukraine as a “geo-strategic pawn” to further its political goals, such as containing Russia and China, suppressing European autonomy, and shoring up its “hegemonic position” in Europe. This commentary is the second in a series of commentaries titled “Viewing American hegemony from the Ukrainian crisis.”
March 29, 2022:
[Statement] The People’s Daily publishes the first in a series of “Zhong Sheng” commentaries entitled “Viewing American hegemony from the Ukrainian crisis,” writing that the U.S. bears an “unshrinkable responsibility” for the war.
March 28, 2022:
[Action] The state-owned energy company Sinopec announces that it will continue to buy crude oil and gas from Russia and participate in existing joint ventures with Rosneft, a Russian state-owned energy company, and Sibur, Russia’s largest petrochemical producer in which Sinopec has a 10 percent stake. Sinopec operates an oil and gas production plant in the Volga-Ural petroleum basin with Rosneft and a petrochemical plant in East Siberia with Sibur.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin announces China’s efforts to evacuate Chinese citizens from Ukraine have “basically come to an end.” According to Wang, over 5,200 Chinese citizens have fled Ukraine for neighboring countries, 4,600 of whom returned to China on government-chartered flights.
March 25, 2022:
[Statement] Sinopec reportedly suspends talks about a potential $500 million investment in an East Siberian petrochemical plant joint venture with Sibur, according to sources who spoke with Reuters. Sinopec also ends a gas marketing venture with Russian gas producer Novatek. Reuters also reports that Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials had instructed officials from Sinopec as well as China National Petroleum Corp and China National Offshore Oil Corp to review their business ties and investment plans with Russian partners.
[Statement] General Secretary Xi speaks with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the phone, expressing China’s “readiness to play a continued, constructive role” in the Ukraine crisis.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin comments on the impact of the Ukraine conflict on China’s food security and states that the situation is debilitating the already struggling world economy. Wang declines to answer the question of whether China will start buying more grain from Russia.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi travels to India to meet his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar as well as India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. While talks focus on tensions along the China-India border, the two also exchange views on Ukraine. India and China have both refrained from directly criticizing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Wang also travels to meet senior officials from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nepal on the same trip. Nikkei Asia reports that Wang will meet with senior officials from 25 countries and regions through early April in a “diplomatic blitz.”
March 24, 2022:
[Statement] President Biden reportedly briefs the European Council about his March 18 call with General Secretary Xi, saying “Xi does not see Putin as an equal and has doubts about where the Russia-China relationship can go,” according to a diplomat who spoke to the South China Morning Post.
[Action] China’s Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun abstains from voting on the General Assembly’s adoption of a resolution which criticizes Russia for creating a “dire humanitarian situation” and supports humanitarian efforts. China opposes elements of the resolution that go beyond the “humanitarian context,” and Zhang reiterates China’s support for a competing resolution proposed by South Africa’s delegation which does not mention Russia, although this resolution is not put to a vote.
[Statement] Taiwan National Security Bureau Director-General Chen Ming-tong says China is unlikely to invade Taiwan in the fall of 2022, despite a document allegedly leaked by a Russian Federal Security Service official that claims General Secretary Xi Jinping originally planned to attack the island later this year. The document asserts that "after the Ukrainian events, this window of opportunity has been closed” to General Secretary Xi and that the United States has “the opportunity to both blackmail Xi and negotiate with its competitors on favorable terms." Chen says he believes this document is part of a “cognitive warfare” strategy targeting Taiwan.
March 23, 2022:
[Action] China votes in favor of a UN Security Council resolution proposed by Russia that would facilitate humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The resolution neither calls for an end to the conflict nor denounces Russia’s role in creating the humanitarian crisis. Russia is the only other country to support the resolution, causing the draft to fail. China’s Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun says that China supported the measure because it attaches “high importance to the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.”
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin comments on Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s call with former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, reiterating China’s stance that no party should conflate the Ukraine issue with the Taiwan question. Wang also says China maintains “smooth communication with relevant sides” on the Ukraine conflict, but he does not answer a question about whether General Secretary Xi will speak with President Zelensky.
March 22, 2022:
Ukrainian Presidential Chief of Staff Andrei Yermak speaks to Chatham House on China’s potential to play a larger role in ending the conflict. Yermak states that the 1994 Budapest Memorandum failed to protect Ukraine from Russian aggression, and the Ukrainian government hopes the Chinese government will act as a security guarantor alongside other partners in a replacement security arrangement in the future. Yermak also indicates that Ukrainian President Zelensky plans to hold talks with General Secretary Xi Jinping in the near future.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin confirms that Russia and China continue to normally cooperate on trade in response to a question about a recent meeting between China’s Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui and Chinese business representatives in Moscow.
March 21, 2022:
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin comments on Chinese humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, confirming an additional $1.6 million (10 million renminbi (RMB)) worth of supplies to Ukraine, in addition to the $791.5 thousand (RMB 5 million) of humanitarian assistance already pledged on March 9, 2022.
March 20, 2022:
[Statement] China’s Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang goes on CBS News’ Face the Nation and argues that China’s good relations with Russia put it in a “unique” position to mediate a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis. He also joins Phoenix TV, a pro-CCP Chinese language television network, for an interview where he says there are no restrictions on China’s cooperation with Russia, but that the two countries will cooperate to further “aims and principles established by the UN Charter.”
March 18, 2022:
[Statement] General Secretary Xi Jinping and President Biden meet via videoconference for a two-hour discussion on the Ukraine conflict. General Secretary Xi says, “All sides need to jointly support Russia and Ukraine in having dialogue and negotiation that will produce results and lead to peace.” According to the readout from the White House, President Biden describes the “implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia as it conducts brutal attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians.”
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian comments on civilian casualties in Ukraine, accusing the United States of hypocrisy for allegedly showing more concern for civilian life in Ukraine than in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.
March 17, 2022:
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Zhang Ming. Wang emphasizes that the SCO, a geopolitical coordination platform whose members include China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, should play a “more active role” in managing security in the “region and beyond” amid the Ukraine crisis.
March 16, 2022:
[Action] Xue Hanqin, a judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) who was first nominated to the post by China in 2010, votes against provisional measures ordering Russia to suspend its military operations in Ukraine. Out of fifteen judges, only Russian ICJ Vice-President Kirill Gevorgian joins Xue in opposing the measure.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian comments on Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s call with his Spanish counterpart, in which Wang stated China does not want U.S. sanctions on Russia to affect China. Zhao adds that China will respond to perceived bullying with strong countermeasures to ensure the United States does not undermine China’s legitimate rights and interests.
March 15, 2022:
[Statement] China’s Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang pens an op-ed for the Washington Post, writing that “threats against Chinese entities and businesses [that do not comply with international sanctions], as uttered by some U.S. officials, are unacceptable.”
[Statement] The People’s Daily publishes a “Zhong Sheng” commentary describing the United States as the “initiator of the Ukraine crisis.”
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian fields questions on the meeting in Rome between National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and top diplomat and Politburo member Yang Jiechi. He reiterates Yang’s dismay at the current situation in Ukraine and highlights China’s humanitarian assistance to Ukraine when asked about Russian attacks on civilian targets.
March 14, 2022:
[Statement] Wang Huiyao, president of the United Front-affiliated Beijing think tank Center for China and Globalization, writes an op-ed in the New York Times reinforcing official commentary advocating for China to play a mediating role in the crisis.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi insists China is “not a party to the crisis, nor does it want sanctions to affect China” during a phone conversation with the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose Manuel Albares. Wang states that China “has a right to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.”
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian fields questions on the Ukraine conflict. He rejects reports that Russia has asked China for military assistance as U.S. “disinformation” and argues against the Japanese Prime Minister’s proposal that the UN Security Council reform the council’s veto powers so that members cannot use the veto in the event of mass atrocities.
March 13, 2022:
[Statement] China’s top diplomat and Politburo member Yang Jiechi and U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan meet in Rome, discussing the Russian invasion of Ukraine among other topics. Sullivan says he warned Yang Jiechi “there will absolutely be consequences for large-scale sanctions evasion efforts or support to Russia."
[Action] The Financial Times reports that Russia has asked China for military equipment to support its invasion of Ukraine. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson dismisses the report as “disinformation.”
March 11, 2022:
Under the approval of the People’s Bank of China, the ruble is allowed to fall more in value each day against the RMB before the central bank intervenes to stabilize the exchange rate. The RMB-ruble daily trading band now allows the rate to fluctuate 10 percent above or below the day’s opening price, widening from the 5 percent fluctuation allowed for other non-dollar exchange rates.
March 10, 2022:
[Sanctions] U.S. Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen says there is no evidence that China “is providing Russia with any significant workaround for [U.S.] sanctions.”
[Action] An official at Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency says that China has refused to supply Russian airlines with spare aircraft parts.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian fields questions on Russian allegations that biological weapons are being developed in laboratories in Ukraine with support from the United States and deflects questions about China’s sources of information. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki refutes Chinese and Russian claims about U.S. biological weapons in Ukraine, and numerous independent media outlets confirm there is no evidence for the claims.
March 9, 2022:
[Sanctions] The Financial Times reports that Chinese cell phone manufacturers Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo have cut back cell phone shipments to Russia by over 50 percent due to the risk that secondary sanctions could be imposed on China.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian fields questions on the Ukraine crisis, confirming that the majority of Chinese citizens in Ukraine have been evacuated and that the Red Cross Society of China will provide $791.5 thousand (RMB 5 million) worth of food and aid to Ukraine. Zhao also reiterates China’s opposition to sanctions as a means of conflict resolution, avoids a question regarding whether China had prior knowledge of Russia’s invasion. He also clarifies that Xi’s use of the word “war” during his call with French and German counterparts does not change China’s position on the conflict.
March 8, 2022:
[Statement] General Secretary Xi Jinping holds a virtual summit with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron, urging “maximum restraint” on all sides and stating that China would be willing to mediate the conflict.
[Action] Bloomberg reports that Beijing is communicating with Chinese state-owned energy and mining companies about opportunities to pursue new investments in Russian companies or assets. The individuals Bloomberg spoke with noted that Beijing’s focus was on increasing China’s energy and food security, rather than softening the blow of international sanctions on Russia.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian fields questions on Russian allegations that biological weapons are being developed in laboratories in Ukraine with support from the United States. He claims that the United States uses these facilities to conduct biological warfare experiments and accuses the United States of obstructing the establishment of a Biological Weapons Convention verification mechanism.
March 7, 2022:
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announces that China is ready to play a “constructive role” in facilitating peace talks. He also reveals a “six point initiative” to prevent a humanitarian crisis, laying out steps the international community should take to ensure the protection of civilians and foreign nationals in Ukraine.
March 6, 2022:
[Action, Sanctions] Several Russian banks, including Sberbank and Alfa Bank, announce interest in issuing credit cards “co-badged” between the Russian bank card network Mir and China’s state monopoly payments network UnionPay. This announcement comes after Visa, Mastercard, and American Express stated they will no longer carry out transactions involving cards issued in Russia or involving Russian banks and merchant processors. This means foreigners cannot make purchases in Russia using one of these cards, and cards issued in Russia will not work outside of Russia. Cards issued in Russia still process transactions domestically through other payment networks, primarily the Russia bank card network Mir. Using UnionPay, which is present in 180 countries, would allow cardholders to conduct international transactions. It would also require banks to install new IT infrastructure, however, which may be difficult due to other sanctions on Russia. Some Russian banks, including Gazprombank and Rosselkhozbank, currently operate the UnionPay system.
March 4, 2022:
[Statement] Chinese National People’s Congress spokesperson Zhang Yesui answers a question about China’s Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law during a press conference. While he does not mention the international sanctions against Russia, he emphasizes China’s readiness to use the tool to respond to sanctions against Chinese entities, saying that “China does not cause trouble, but is not afraid of trouble.”
March 3, 2022:
[Action] Local branches of Chinese state banks in Russia see an uptick in requests to open accounts. Several Chinese banks operate in Russia, including the “Big Four”: Industrial & Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, and China Construction Bank.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) puts all activities relating to Russia and Belarus “on hold and under review.” Although the press release did not specify who supported the measure, China is the AIIB’s largest shareholder, and holds 26.5 percent of the voting power on the executive board, where operational decisions are made. About 3 percent of its development financing has gone to Russia. The New Development Bank, the multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states, also puts new transactions in Russia on hold.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin denies a report by the New York Times that senior Chinese officials told senior Russian officials not to invade Ukraine before the end of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, claiming instead that the “decision by the U.S. to expand NATO” led to the crisis.
March 2, 2022:
[Statement, Sanctions] China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission chairman Guo Shuqing, at a State Council Information Office press conference, reiterated China’s disapproval of unilateral financial sanctions and that China would not participate in the sanctions. Guo said that the impact of Russia-related sanctions on China’s economy were not too clear and being observed closely, but that the Chinese economy was resilient and stable.
[Statement] In an interview with Caixin, Xu Yingming, deputy director of the International Market Institute with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic of the Ministry of Commerce, said the Russia-Ukraine conflict had exerted minimal impact on the China-Europe railway.
[Action] Bloomberg reports that “top government officials” in China ordered the National Development and Reform Commission in China to direct state-owned enterprises to secure commodities such as oil and gas, iron ore, barley, and corn to safeguard against any potential supply gaps wrought by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
[Action] China abstains from vote at UN General Assembly for a non-binding resolution condemning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and demanding an immediate withdrawal. China’s Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun says that the draft resolution “has not undergone full consultations within the whole membership. Nor does it take full consideration the history and complexity of the current crisis. It does not highlight the importance of the principle of indivisible security, or the urgency of promoting political settlement and stepping up diplomatic efforts. These are not in line with China’s consistent positions. Therefore we had no choice but to abstain in the voting.”
March 1, 2022:
[Statement] The Chinese embassy in Kyiv announces plans to evacuate 1,700 Chinese nationals in Ukraine. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Wang Wenbin confirms a Chinese citizen in Ukraine was shot and injured while trying to evacuate.
[Statement] China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Wang Wenbin fields questions about U.S. delegation to Taiwan and U.S. Navy destroyer passing through the Taiwan Strait. Wang states China will not be intimidated, and urges the United States to stop formal exchanges with Taiwan. He does not connect the issue to the Ukraine conflict.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds a phone call with Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Dmytro Kuleba, during which he elaborated on “ensuring the safety of Chinese nationals in Ukraine and urged the Ukrainian side to assume corresponding international responsibilities.” Wang said that China supports negotiations to resolve “the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.”
February 28, 2022:
[Action] Embattled Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing reverses decision to shut down operations in Russia after Chinese social media users criticized the firm’s alleged “loyalty to the United States and Europe.” The New York Times reports on an uptick in Chinese social media users’ support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
[Sanctions, Action] As the United States and EU impose the SWIFT ban on Russia, Russian state media boosts the narrative that Russia-China financial relations can grow closer and Russia might turn to China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payments (CIPS) messaging system, a SWIFT alternative. Some Chinese media also publishes commentary on the potential for Russia to use CIPS and work with Russia’s own messaging system, the SPFS. Neither state officials nor Chinese state media are amplifying the narrative, implying that this is not an established position.
[Statement, Action] China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Wang Wenbin says that the country’s normal trade with Russia will continue, even after Russia is banned from financial messaging system SWIFT. Wang also states that U.S. and EU actions do not affect China’s rights to trade.
[Action] Chinese embassy evacuates 200 Chinese students from Kyiv and 400 from Odessa to Moldova by bus.
[Statement] China’s Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun makes a statement at the Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Ukraine, saying that “China does not approve of any approach that may exacerbate tensions.”
February 26, 2022:
[Action] The Chinese embassy in Kyiv advises Chinese citizens in Ukraine to avoid revealing their nationality. The Financial Times reports that Chinese citizens in Ukraine are facing hostility from Ukrainians, noting that CGTN posted a video to Weibo of a Chinese student talking about the threats she received from Ukrainians.
February 25, 2022:
[Sanctions] Two of China’s largest state-owned banks, the Industrial & Commercial Bank of China and Bank of China, stopped financing purchases of Russian commodities due to financial sanctions from countries such as the United States. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China stopped issuing dollar-denominated letters of credit, but RMB-denominated lines of credit were still available for some clients, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the matter. Bank of China curbed financing for Russian commodities but reportedly had not received explicit guidance from Chinese regulators.
[Sanctions] Oil importers in China “briefly pause” new seaborne purchases of Russian crude to assess risks in cargo financing and payment. The pause is a reaction to European banks (such as ING Groep NV and Rabobank) beginning to impose restrictions on commodity-trade finance and limiting letters of credit against cargoes originating in Russia.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated China’s “basic position on the Ukraine issue.” During a call with UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss, High Representative of the European Union Josep Borell, and French Diplomatic Advisor to the President Emmanuel Bonne, Wang expressed China’s support for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, but also stated, “Given NATO's five consecutive rounds of eastward expansion, Russia's legitimate security demands ought to be taken seriously and properly addressed.” The “five waves” language was also used by President Putin during his December 2021 annual news conference.
[Action, Statement] China abstains from vote on a UN Security Council resolution on ending the Ukraine Crisis. China’s representative says he abstained because the Council should act to “defuse and not add fuel to the fire.” The resolution fails due to Russian veto, amid 11 votes of support, and three abstentions.
[Statement] General Secretary Xi speaks with President Putin on the phone, saying that “China decides its position based on facts.” Xi calls for negotiations to resolve the “Ukraine issue” and reiterates the call for “a balanced, effective and sustainable security mechanism” in Europe.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin responds to a question about Taiwan’s decision to sanction Russia by stating, “The Taiwan authorities won’t let go of any opportunity to chase the clout and assert themselves in a grandstanding manner. Such attempts are doomed to fail.”
[February 24, 2022: Russian forces invade Ukraine and launch artillery fire in and near the cities of Kyiv, Kherson, Donetsk, and Kharkiv after President Putin announces a “special military operation to ‘demilitarize’ its neighbour.’”]
February 24, 2022:
[Statement] China’s embassy in Ukraine advises PRC citizens to display Chinese flags on their vehicles.
[Statement] Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying fields questions about the Ukraine crisis in a press conference and challenges “Western media’s” use of the word “invasion” and calls Russia’s activity a “special military operation.” Hua states China will carry out normal trade with both Russia and Ukraine and states that China has not provided weapons or support to Russia.
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the phone, noting the “special historical context of the Ukraine issue” and “Russia’s legitimate security concerns.” He says, “China maintains that the Cold War mentality should be completely abandoned and a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism should be finally established through dialogue and negotiation.”
February 23, 2022:
[Action] China’s customs administration relaxes restrictions on imports of Russian wheat to allow imports of wheat from all regions of Russia. The decision was reportedly made during President Putin’s visit to Beijing earlier in the month.
[Statement, Action] China’s ambassador to Russia, Zhang Hanhui, states China is “pleased” to see the renminbi being widely used in Russian trade, financial investment, and foreign reserves, and expressed his hopes for future bilateral negotiations on using the RMB in bilateral energy deals.
[Statement] In a press conference, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying fields questions about the Ukraine crisis and Taiwan, and contrasts Taiwan and Ukraine by stating “Taiwan is indeed not Ukraine. Taiwan has always been an inalienable part of China’s territory.” She blamed the United States as the “culprit of current tensions surrounding Ukraine,” claiming that the U.S. has been “sending weapons to Ukraine, heightening tensions, creating panic and even hyping up the possibility of warfare.” Hua notes China’s position that “sanctions are never fundamentally effective means to solve problems.”
[Statement] China’s ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun speaks during UN Security Council dialogue on Russian “special military operations.” Zhang says China will promote peace talks “in its own ways.” The Chinese delegate to the UN later comments on the UN General Assembly discussion of Eastern Ukraine Developments. He notes that while Beijing maintains a consistent position on sovereignty and territorial integrity, Ukraine is “tangled in a historical web”. He urges all sides to engage in dialogue.
[February 23, 2022: Russia claims that the separatist leaders of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic request Russian military help to repel repression from the Ukrainian army.]
February 22, 2022:
[Statement] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the phone, saying that “the legitimate security concerns of any country must be respected.” According to Wang, “What has happened on the Ukraine issue has much to do with the long delay in the effective implementation of the Minsk II agreements,” which is the ceasefire deal that Russia and Ukraine agreed to in February 2014.
[Statement] Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesperson Wang Wenbin fields questions on Ukraine and Taiwan in a press conference and avoids drawing parallels between Russia’s claim to Ukraine and China’s claim to Taiwan.
[Statement] People’s Daily publishes a “Zhong Sheng commentary” with thinly veiled criticism of the United States, and alleging “individual major powers have revived the Cold War mentality and created camp confrontation.”
[Statement] The U.S. issues the first round of economic sanctions on Russia. One of the financial institutions designated on the Specially Designated Nationals List by Treasury is located in Hong Kong and connected to a Russian state bank.
[Statement] Chinese media guidance with detailed censorship instructions for reporting on the Russia-Ukraine conflict are allegedly leaked on Weibo by the news outlet Shimian. The guidance says not to post anything unfavorable to Russia or in favor of the west.
[February 21, 2022: President Putin says that Ukraine is an integral part of Russian history, and Russia recognizes the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent.]
(For a Timeline of key events prior to February 21 in the lead up to the invasion, visit https://www.uscc.gov/research/china-russia-interactions-leading-invasion-ukraine)