Fu Cong photo: VCG

China's position on the Ukraine issue has been open, clear and consistent — calling for a ceasefire, an end to hostilities, and the promotion of peace talks and dialogue, Chinese envoy to the UN said at a conference on Tuesday marking the fourth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The envoy also criticized the US for smearing China's role in the conflict in an attempt to provoke bloc confrontation and create division and antagonism.

Speaking at a meeting held by the UN on Tuesday, China's Permanent Representative to the UN Fu Cong said that China is neither the creator of the Ukraine crisis nor a party to it. China's position on the Ukraine issue has been open, clear, and consistent — calling for a ceasefire, an end to hostilities, and promoting peace talks and dialogue. The international community has witnessed China's efforts.

China has not provided lethal weapons to any party to the conflict and has consistently exercised strict controls over the export of dual-use items, Fu noted.

He said that as a major global producer, trading nation, and consumer, China maintains normal economic and trade relations with Russia, Ukraine, Europe, and the US. These exchanges follow market and commercial principles, do not violate UN Security Council resolutions, and are legitimate and beyond reproach. China will take reasonable measures to safeguard its energy security based on its national interests.

Fu stressed that for some time, the US has used various occasions to fabricate excuses and spread falsehoods, continuously attacking and smearing China. This is blatant political manipulation aimed at provoking bloc confrontation and creating division and antagonism.

China once again urges the US to stop shifting blame, stop deflecting responsibility, and stop creating conflicts and wars around the world, said Fu.

Fu's remarks came amid growing smears by the US against China's role in the Russia-Ukraine crisis as the anniversary approaches and the issue once again becomes the focus of international attention.

On Monday, when asked to comment on the report that the US Ambassador to NATO said that a call from China could end the Ukraine crisis and that "this war is being completely enabled by China, Lin Jian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that China did not create the Ukraine crisis, nor is China a party to it.

We stand on the side of peace and dialogue and promote the political settlement of the crisis. China's objective and just stance is widely recognized by the international community, said Lin, noting that the so-called "enabling the war" is nothing but a groundless accusation.

Global Times