China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday said “time will prove that China's position is on the right side of history” over the Ukraine war.
“China will continue to make independent judgments based on the merits of the matter and in an objective and fair attitude. We will never accept any external coercion and pressure, and we also oppose any groundless accusations and suspicions against China,” Wang Yi told reporters, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Wang said “the long-term solution is to abandon the Cold War mentality, refrain from engaging in group confrontation, and truly form a balanced, effective and sustainable regional security architecture. Only in this way can long-term stability on the European continent be achieved.”
Some context: His comments come after US President Joe Biden spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday in an attempt to dissuade China from assisting Russia in its war on Ukraine.
"China has to make a decision for themselves on where they want to stand and how they want the history books to look at them and view their actions," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at the time. "That is a decision for President Xi to make."
While China has not condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine outright, it has also not offered explicit support.
Experts believe Beijing is navigating a complex position as the crisis in Ukraine intensifies, attempting to balance its strategic partnership with Moscow while maintaining economic ties with the West.
The US has watched warily as Xi cultivates a close partnership with Russian President Vladimir Putin, believing the alliance of authoritarian leaders is positioning itself to oppose the United States militarily and economically. During high-profile talks in Beijing last month, Xi and Putin sealed their affiliation, declaring in a lengthy statement the relationship was limitless.