China ramps up pressure on US ahead of Rome meet; demands clarification on bioweapons

Even as Russia's invasion of Ukraine entered the 19th day, China asked the US to fully clarify its biological military activities in the war-hit nation. Interestingly, this comes ahead of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's meeting with Chinese Communist Party Politburo Member and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission Yang Jiechi in Rome later on Monday. Apart from the ongoing efforts to manage the competition between the two countries, they are also scheduled to discuss the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on regional and global security.

Addressing a press briefing today, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian accused the US of spreading misinformation regarding his country's role with "sinister intentions". Maintaining that China is playing a constructive role in promoting peace talks, he also denied reports that Russia had sought its military assistance for the special operation in Ukraine. He also lashed out at Sullivan for warning China of "consequences" if it helps Russia evade sanctions. 

Earlier on March 8, Zhao Lijian had echoed Russia's allegation that the US was developing biological weapons in Ukrainian laboratories. He alleged, "The US has 336 labs in 30 countries under its control, including 26 in Ukraine alone. It should give a full account of its biological military activities at home and abroad and subject itself to multilateral verification". It is pertinent to note that the UN's Biological Weapons Convention prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons. 

Russia-Ukraine war

The tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated on February 21 after Vladimir Putin recognised the independence of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic. Located in eastern Ukraine, these regions have been under the control of Russia-backed separatists since 2014. The situation took a turn for the worse after the Russian President formally declared a military operation in Ukraine three days later targeted at demilitarisation and denazification of the country. While the US and other European countries have imposed a range of sanctions on Russia, the latter has refused to relent. 

On March 7, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov revealed that his country will stop its special operation if Ukraine acknowledges Crimea as Russian territory, recognises the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent states and changes its Constitution to reject any intention to enter any bloc. In his speech on Sunday night, Zelenskyy once again urged NATO to impose a no-fly zone over his nation to prevent Russia from invading its airspace and launching attacks. This came after Russia attacked the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security in Yavoriv city which is close to the Ukraine border.