China's top Ambassador has vowed Beijing "will do everything" to de-escalate the war in Ukraine, and insisted that his country's relationship with Russia is "not part of the problem," according to Bloomberg.
In a Sunday appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation," Ambassador Qin Gang said "There’s disinformation about China providing military assistance to Russia," adding that China isn't currently sending "weapons and ammunitions to any party."
MARGARET BRENNAN: So President Biden asked Beijing not to provide any kind of support to Russia. Is it your intent to go ahead and give a lifeline to Vladimir Putin?
AMB. GANG: On Friday, President Xi Jinping and the president, Biden, had a video call. It was candid, deep and constructive. President Xi Jinping gave China's position very clear, that is China stands for peace, opposes war. China is a peace-loving country. We hate to see the situation over Ukraine come to today's, you know, like this and we call for immediate ceasefire and we are promoting peace talks and we are sending humanitarian assistance to--
MARGARET BRENNAN: --Will you send money and weapons to Russia, though?
AMB. GANG: Well, There's a disinformation about China providing military assistance to Russia. We reject that--
MARGARET BRENNAN: --You won't do so, Beijing will not?
AMB. GANG: What China is doing is send foods, medicine, sleeping bags and the baby formula--
MARGARET BRENNAN: --That's--
AMB. GANG: --not weapons and ammunition to any party and we are against a war, as I said, you know, we will do everything to dis-escalate the crisis.
Watch:
The interview comes as China attempts to balance its relationships with the US and Russia - with Qin claiming that its "common interests" with Russia are "not a liability."
"China is part of the solution, it’s not part of the problem," he added, citing Chinese President Xi Jinping's phone call with Putin shortly after the Russian invasion in which the Chinese leader urged Putin to negotiate with Ukraine.
When
asked if China would condemn Russia, Qin said: "Don’t be naive,
condemnation doesn’t solve the problem. I would be surprised if Russia
will back down by condemnation."
Why can’t you condemn this as an invasion?” @margbrennan asks China’s Ambassador to the U.S., Qin Gang of Russia’s Ukraine invasion.
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) March 20, 2022
“Don’t be naive. Condemnation doesn’t solve the problem,” he says. pic.twitter.com/Oe47GsJSTC
Nothing like a hostile interview in the US press to promote healthy US-China relations, right?
