China avers sanctions on Russia 'not helpful' to stop war; reiterates call for dialogue

As the West continues to impose sweeping sanctions on Russia in retaliation for the war in Ukraine, Chinese State Councilor and Defence Minister Wei Fenghe on Sunday stated that Beijing believes pressuring Moscow will not solve the problem at the time. Addressing Asia's largest security forum, Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore, he warned that trying to isolate Russia will only "make the problem even worse", TASS news agency reported. Seated face-to-face with US Defence Minister Llyod Austin, Fenghe reiterated Beijing's support for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine.

"A conflict or a war is the last thing that China would want to see in Ukraine. At the same time, we do not believe that maximum pressure or sanctions can solve the problem. It may cause even more tensions and make the problem even worse," Fenghe said.

"China supports negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. We also hope that the US and NATO would hold talks with Russia to create conditions for the soonest ceasefire," he added.

China 'not interested in conflict' in Ukraine

Refuting criticisms over providing veiled support to Russia, Fenghe stated Beijing is "not interested" in the conflict. He went on to add: "China has never provided any material support to Russia." To note, despite maintaining a neutral status on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, experts have flagged that China's bilateral trade with Russia doubled up ever since the war broke out.

As per Chinese customs data, the trade between Moscow and Beijing increased by 28% compared to last year, including a 12% rise in the first quarter, which experts believe is veiled support to help Russia evade West-led sanctions.

China accuses US of 'hijacking' Indo-Pacific countries

Speaking on the tattered ties with the US, Fenghe pointed out that Washington's sudden need to influence relations in the Indo-Pacific indicates it is trying to "hijack" countries in the region. He also accused the US of "smearing and containing China". Covering a plethora of issues that interest Washington, including Taiwan, Uyghurs in Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Tibet, Fenghe stated that the US must "stop interfering in China's internal affairs." Failing to do so will not improve the frayed ties between the two economies, he warned.

Referring to US President Joe Biden's Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in the Indo-Pacific announced during his visit in May, Fenghe stressed that the policies lead to "conflict and confrontation." And "if you want confrontation, we will fight to the end," he added. To note, the IPEF included 13 countries in the region, excluding China. "To us, the strategy is an attempt to build an exclusive group...to hijack countries in the region...and target one specific country," he said concluding his address at the three-day summit in Singapore.

(Image: AP)