China’s Ambassador to the E.U. Tries to Distance Beijing From Moscow

The ambassador, Fu Cong, said China was not on Russia’s side in the war in Ukraine. “‘No limit’ is nothing but rhetoric,” he said, referring to a statement from last year about the countries’ relationship.

This was reported by The New York Times.

In an hourlong interview ahead of a European diplomatic mission to Beijing, China’s ambassador to the European Union said that critics had misinterpreted his country’s relationship with Russia, and suggested their ties may not be as limitless as their leaders once declared.

The Chinese ambassador, Fu Cong, spoke before Presidents Emmanuel Macron of France and Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission travel to China on Wednesday for a three-day trip.

E.U. leaders are struggling to balance their deep trade ties with China against American pressure to toughen their policies, especially in light of China’s support for Russia since the war began. China tries to present itself as a mediator, insisting that it respects the territorial integrity of Ukraine while endorsing some of Moscow’s narratives about the war.

Here are a few highlights of the interview:

The ambassador downplayed Russia and China’s declaration of a “no limits” friendship last year.

Just three weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine Presidents Vladimir V. Putin and Xi Jinping signed a joint statement declaring “no limits” to their countries’ friendship. But Mr. Fu said China was not on Russia’s side in the war and that some people “deliberately misinterpret this because there’s the so-called ‘no limit’ friendship or relationship.”

He added, “‘No limit’ is nothing but rhetoric.”

Mr. Fu said that China had not provided military assistance to Russia, nor recognized its efforts to annex Ukrainian territories, including Crimea and the Donbas.

Author - Olena Madiak, 05/04/2023