Published 19:20 IST, July 18th 2022

China won't 'sit idly by' incase war in Ukraine escalates, vows foreign min Wang Yi

Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated that it would not play a role as a country to "add fuel to the fire" but would "persistently promote the peace talks."

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
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IMAGE: AP | Image: self
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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday said that Beijing does not intend to "sit by idly" and "passively observe" incase the military conflict in Ukraine escalates. During a telephone conversation with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjártó, Yi iterated that while Chinese officials push for a diplomatic displomatic path forward, China, Moscow's steadfast ally will not be a spectator if the war worsens. "Our country does not belong to the states involved in the crisis situation in Ukraine, but we do not intend to sit back and passively observe what is happening from the outside," Wang Yi said, according to Tass. "The Ukrainian crisis dealt a serious blow not only to Europe, its negative consequences have already reverberated around the world," furthermore he added.

Beijing won't 'add fuel to the fire': Wang Yi

Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated that it would not play a role as a country to "add fuel to the fire" but would "persistently promote the peace talks." Yi stated that the "crisis in Ukraine has taught us a hard lesson, and each of the parties concerned should take this seriously." According to Tass, Beijing clarified that during the current situation, "it is necessary through the coordinated efforts of the world community to create an effective and stable mechanism for ensuring security in Europe." 

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In an exclusive interview with Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami earlier, Beijing had openly denied to act as a guarantor for Ukraine, stressing that it wouldn't be "as likely" that China would undertake that intiative. Although, it affimed that China, as a mediator of peace, would stand ready to support the comprehensive dialogue between warring sides Moscow and Kyiv. French President Emmanuel Macron, however, offered to be a security guarantor after Arnab-Zelenskyy interview.

Ukraine's leader had requested for guarantees from countries like the US, UK, China, Turkey, Germany, Poland to ensure that Russia would uphold the agreements in case peace talk is brokered and not renew the attacks on his country. China, as can be noted, had backtracked from assurances as Moscow's invading troops continued their brutal assaults. "Security guarantees in talks with Putin could be a parallel process and we should not delay or slow down the dialogue by any meetings. We know some of the countries are ready to extend security guarantees to Ukraine. It would be better before the meeting with the President to have some clear agreements on which countries are ready to make some commitments," Zelesnkyy had told Republic asking countries including China to step forward. 

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19:20 IST, July 18th 2022