Russian Media Outlet 'Vzglyad': 'Beijing Is Not Only De Facto But Also De Jure Taking The Russian Side In The Ukrainian Conflict'

An article published December 11, 2023, by the Russian media outlet Vzglyad stated that Western pressure on China made Beijing abandon its neutral stances on the war in Ukraine. Under the title "Why China Is Seriously Changing Its Stance On Russian Special Military Operation," it stated: "Beijing is gradually abandoning the balancing on two chairs and is not only de facto but also de jure taking the Russian side in the Ukrainian conflict."

(Source: Ombudsmanrd.ru)

Below is the Vzglyad article:[1]

'China Has Openly Recognized That The Continuation Of Hostilities… Is An Element Of Russia's National Interests And Security'

"A Chinese official has made a statement that can be interpreted as a clear and significant shift in Beijing's position on what is happening in Ukraine. Previously, China, at least in terms of international rhetoric, expressed a positive but still neutral stance – but now it clearly justifies and supports the Russian special operation. Why?

"'It's a very independent nation, after all. President Putin makes decisions based on national interests and security.' That's how Wang Lutong, Director-General of the Department of European Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of China, commented on the requests of European politicians to persuade Russia to make concessions on the Ukrainian issue. To put it simply, the Chinese comrades politely refused to play the role of a mediator.

"And there are several important, to some extent even groundbreaking, moments in this statement made by the Chinese side. First of all, the very fact of refusing to mediate in the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. Not so long ago, the Chinese claimed to be mediators: They put forward their general 12-point plan and promoted it in every possible way. Moreover, it was extremely broad and therefore all-inclusive.

"Now China has openly recognized that the continuation of hostilities (a decision that the Russian authorities have made – at least until 'the West gives up its plans to maintain its dominance and its obsession with inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia by the hands of its Kiev puppets') is an element of Russia's 'national interests and security.' That is, [China] actually recognized this decision as correct and legitimate. What kind of mediation is possible in such a case?

"Earlier, it should be recalled, the Chinese refrained from such obvious support for Russian actions during the special operation – at least because they were afraid of drawing any parallels and associations with Taiwan, which is striving to turn its de facto independence into a de jure one.

"So, what forced the Chinese side to change its position? Apparently, three major factors."

'The Chinese Realized That The Role Of Mediator In Resolving The Russian-Ukrainian Conflict Is No Longer Relevant'

"First, the Chinese realized that the role of mediator in resolving the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is no longer relevant. After a series of military defeats of the Kiev regime (and, above all, the failure of the counteroffensive), a window of opportunity in the issue of peace talks seemed to have opened. However, the West is not yet ready for serious discussions with Moscow, based on a realistic assessment of the situation. It is not ready to enter into negotiations recognizing new Russian territories, nor is it ready to shed the Kiev regime and abandon its course of containment.

"At most, the West is ready to put forward a proposal to freeze the conflict – which Moscow will not accept under any circumstances. [This is] because these proposals contradict the Russian Constitution, the logic of military operations, and the logic of domestic political processes in Russia.

"Thus, on December 8, 2023, Vladimir Putin officially voiced his desire to run for another term – and he did it not in the presence of politicians and journalists, but in the company of servicemen and their relatives. That is, as Russian political scientist Sergei Markov correctly noted, 'Putin is running for election as the military leader of a belligerent country.' He added: 'Today he has once again committed himself to knocking Ukraine out of Slavyansk, out of the DNR, to knock Ukraine out of Donbas.'

"What kind of truce can one have here, what kind of peace talks? Apparently, the window for them will not open until the beginning of 2025, when a new administration comes to power in the United States.

"Yes, the Chinese could still talk to Moscow somewhere behind the scenes and prepare the ground for some concessions in the interests of the European Union, but why? After all – and this is the second factor explaining Chinese rigidity – the EU has done nothing to ask politely for a favor.

"Wang Lutong's very statement was made on the margins of the China-EU summit, during which European officials came to Beijing to solve bilateral economic problems. And they came, in fact, not only with a package of proposals, but also with a set of threats against Beijing.

"'China is the EU's most important trading partner. But there are clear imbalances and differences that we must address,' said the European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen. By imbalances is meant, of course, the imbalance in trade. In 2022, it exceeded $400 billion – a 60% increase in the last two years.

"Such a deficit, according to European diplomacy head Josep Borrell, has not arisen because of free competition. '[It] is largely attributable to the very high level of public subsidies granted to Chinese companies, as well as to the ever-increasing barriers to entry into the Chinese market,' the European official [said, expressing] resentment. And he threatens China with blocking sanctions if Beijing does not make concessions.[2]

"It is not only about the economy, but also about relations with Russia. 'From the very beginning of the war, it was clear to us that the way China would position itself in relation to Russian aggression against Ukraine will also determine our relations,' Ursula von der Leyen said.[3]

'The West Is Not Ready To Negotiate With Beijing'

"However, Brussels has forgotten that they are not Trump, and this is not 2018, when it was possible to press China hard and relatively successfully.

"Now the Chinese meet such pressure with hostility. And not only because they are being pressured by European puppets that are non-subjective, disrespected, and lacking in sovereignty, but also because over the past five years, the Chinese side has become convinced that the West's course to contain the PRC is as obvious and irreversible as the trend toward the defeat of Ukraine. It has realized that the West is not ready to negotiate with Beijing, [and] that it views China as an existential threat that must be crushed by any means necessary.

"And this is the third factor hardening the Chinese position on the Russian issue. Thanks to American pressure, Beijing is gradually abandoning the balancing on two chairs and is not only de facto but also de jure taking the Russian side in the Ukrainian conflict.

"And that's because China is a very independent nation. And President Xi makes decisions based on national interests and security."