SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 13 November 2024, Wednesday |

China to provide Ukraine humanitarian aid, praises Russia ties

China’s Red Cross will offer humanitarian help to Ukraine “as soon as feasible,” Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday, praising his country’s “rock strong” ties with Russia.

China has declined to denounce or declare Russia’s attack on Ukraine an invasion, instead urging Western countries to accept Russia’s “legitimate security concerns.”

Wang stated that the origins of the “Ukraine issue” were “complicated” and did not occur overnight, using a classic Chinese proverb that “three feet of ice does not develop in a single day.”

“Solving complex problems requires calmness and rationality, rather than adding fuel to the fire and intensifying contradictions,” he told a news conference on the sidelines of the annual meeting of China’s parliament.

China has already done “some work” to promote peace talks and has all along been in contact with all sides, he added.

“China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in pushing for peace and promoting talks, and is willing to work with the international community to carry out necessary mediation when needed.”

China is willing to continue to make its own efforts to resolve the humanitarian crisis and the country’s Red Cross will “as soon as possible” provide a batch of aid to Ukraine, Wang said, without giving details. It was the first time the country has announced such help.

China proposes that “humanitarian action” must abide by the principles of neutrality and impartiality, and humanitarian issues should not be politicized, he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Chinese President Xi Jinping hours before the start of last month’s Winter Olympics in Beijing and they signed a wide-ranging strategic partnership aimed at countering U.S. influence and said they would have “no ‘forbidden’ areas of cooperation”.

Wang said the friendship between China and Russia was “rock solid” and prospects for cooperation bright.

“No matter how sinister the international situation is, both China and Russia will maintain their strategic determination and continuously push forward the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era.”

    Source:
  • Reuters