Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese ambassador to the United States, has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine with a caveat.
“As for the Ukraine issue, I want to reiterate that all countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected and upheld and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be jointly safeguarded,” Pengyu told State Newswire on Monday. “This is a principle China consistently holds and [is] a basic norm governing international relations that all countries should adhere to.”
However, he also said there are other developments that need to be considered, in the view of the Chinese government.
“At the same time, we recognize the special historical complexities on the Ukraine issue and understand Russia’s legitimate security concerns," Pengyu told State Newswire. "China calls for efforts to completely discard the Cold War mentality and forge a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism through dialogue and negotiation.
"We always stand on the side of peace and justice, and decide our own position and policy according to the merits of the matter itself," he added. "We hope all parties can work with China toward a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine issue. We will continue to play a positive role in seeking and realizing peace.”
The invasion Feb. 24 came as no surprise after months of evidence that Russia was preparing to attack.
According to the New York Times, in a span of three months prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration had six separate meetings with Chinese officials, including China’s foreign minister and ambassador to the United States, to present findings of Russia's deployment of troops along its borders with Ukraine.
However, according to the New York Times, China’s top officials were suspicious and skeptical of the information and rejected the idea of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. They even went as far as informing Russia of the information they received and that they would not stand in the way of Russia’s plans.
China also sought to blame the United States for escalating the situation.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a Feb. 23 news conference in Beijing that the United States was “the culprit of current tensions surrounding Ukraine ... the U.S. has been sending weapons to Ukraine, heightening tensions, creating panic and even hyping up the possibility of warfare.”
Al Jazeera reported that prior to the start of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Russian President Vladimir Putin remarked about the “unprecedented” bond with China. Furthermore, in a joint statement, both leaders restated support for each other's foreign policy, including Russia’s support of China in relation to Taiwan.
According to The New Yorker, Chinese President Xi Jinping explained his relationship with Putin during an interview with Russian media.
“We have similar views on the current world situation, have the same philosophy on national governance and shoulder the historical responsibilities of the two countries’ respective development and revitalization,” Xi said. “Most importantly, we have a highly consistent understanding of the strategic significance of Sino-Russian relations.”
A Council on Foreign Relations article reports that Xi has ambitions to lay claim to territories surrounding the China seas and has increased actions against countries such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.
In a Council on Foreign Relations Global Conflict Tracker report, satellite imagery revealed China’s construction of ports, military installations and airstrips, in addition to reclaimed land in the South China Sea.
According to the Eurasian Times, in 2016 the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines for their claim on the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Reef. China does not accept the court’s decision.
In a Newsweek article, China argues that Taiwan is under its sovereign rule and intends to reunify the island with mainland China. On Feb. 23, Hua Chunying, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, said “for sure [Taiwan] is not Ukraine” and claimed the territory for China.
Pengyu told State Newswire that China continues to claim Taiwan.
“Taiwan has always been an inalienable part of China’s territory. This is an indisputable historical and legal fact,” he said. “The one-China principle is a universally recognized norm governing international relations. 'Taiwan independence’ only leads to a dead end. No one shall have any illusion or make any miscalculation on this issue.”
There are indications of heightened tension in the area.
According to CNBC, Taiwanese air force jets were deployed to deter nine Chinese aircraft that entered Taiwan’s airspace Feb. 24, the same day Russia invaded Ukraine.
Craig Singleton, a China expert and senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD) in Washington, said China is gauging how the United States and its allies are responding to Putin’s actions.
“The bad news for Xi, as he evaluates potential military operations against Taiwan, is that, so far, Putin’s aggression has unified NATO member states,” Singleton told Fox News. “Chinese leaders remain deeply concerned by Washington’s ongoing attempts to build up its alliance network to counter Chinese belligerence throughout the Indo-Pacific.
“If Washington and Brussels are able to impose significant costs on Russia," he added, "leaders in Beijing may think twice about striking Taiwan, opting instead to continue apace with their existing strategy of retaking the island by all means short of war.”
