China’s stance on US criticism
The Government of China has stated forcefully this Wednesday that it rejects criticism and pressure for its relations with Russia. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning has assured that China will not accept accusations or pressure and has stressed that economic and commercial cooperation with Russia must not be interfered with or restricted.
Appeal to achieve peace in Ukraine
Mao Ning has also made an appeal to analyze the underlying causes of the crisis in Ukraine and take practical actions to achieve peace. These statements could be interpreted as an implicit criticism of the United States, as they come after Janet Yellen, the secretary of the US Treasury, warned that there would be significant consequences for Beijing if its companies support Russia’s war against Ukraine .
Reactions to US and Russian statements
Mao Ning’s remarks come after Yellen’s warnings and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to Beijing, where he met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. Lavrov praised bilateral relations with China saying they have reached an ‘unprecedented level’, while Wang Yi advocated holding an international conference to achieve peace in Ukraine with equal participation of all warring parties and a fair debate.