China slams 'groundless' US claims of fuelling Ukraine war

NEW DELHI: China on Tuesday objected to allegations made by the United States that Beijing is backing Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.
China's foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated, "The United States has unveiled a large-scale aid bill for Ukraine while also making groundless accusations against normal trade between China and Russia."
"This kind of approach is extremely hypocritical and utterly irresponsible, and China is firmly opposed to it," he said.
In recent years, China and Russia have increased their economic cooperation and diplomatic ties, and their strategic partnership has only strengthened since the invasion of Ukraine.
Wang stated, "On the Ukraine issue, China has always maintained an objective and just position, advocated actively for peace talks and pushed for a political resolution."
He added, "China consistently implements regulations on the export of dual-use items," and emphasized that "China is neither a creator nor party to the Ukraine crisis and has never thrown oil on the flames." Wang concluded by saying, "We will not accept others passing the buck or shifting blame onto us."
Although China claims to be a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, it has faced criticism for not denouncing Moscow's offensive actions.
Prior to a scheduled visit to Beijing by top diplomat Antony Blinken this week, the United States had accused China of assisting Russia in carrying out its most significant militarization in ongoing war with Ukraine since the Soviet era.
Blinken stated on Friday that China was indirectly supporting the Ukraine war by supplying components to Russia, which it uses for its military expansion.
"When it comes to Russia's defence industrial base, the primary contributor in this moment to that is China," he said after a G7 ministers meeting in Capri, adding that this is "allowing Russia to continue the aggression against Ukraine."
According to US officials, China has refrained from providing direct military assistance but has supplied dual-use items that have allowed Russia to regroup despite a prolonged delay in US aid to Ukraine due to inaction in the House of Representatives, led by former president Donald Trump's Republican Party.
China has consistently denied allegations of aiding Russia's war in Ukraine and insisted that it will not accept "criticism or pressure" regarding its ties with Russia.