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Wang Yi: China and other developing countries have reasonable concerns and similar positions on the current situation in Europe

2022-03-20 18:20

On 20 March 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra of Algeria jointly met the press after talks. A journalist asked about Ukraine, and said that in the context of the on-going Russia-Ukraine crisis, as the United States and Europe continue to tighten maximum sanctions against Russia, China and other developing countries hold their own views and positions, and there seems to be a vast “middle zone”.

State Councilor Wang Yi said that recently, I have exchanged views with many foreign ministers of Asian and African countries. I feel that many countries, like China, are following closely the developments of the Ukraine crisis, and share a lot of common language.

To start with, we all believe that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be observed, international disputes should be resolved peacefully, and the parties concerned should realize ceasefire and put an end to the war as quickly as possible. I agree with Foreign Minister Lamamra when he mentioned that during discussions at the UN General Assembly on the Ukraine issue, China, Algeria and quite a number of countries abstained in the voting. Abstention is also an attitude. It is to give peace a chance and shows disapproval of using war and sanctions to address disputes, and it is a responsible attitude. At the same time, we are of the view that the Ukraine issue has not come to this point by accident. It is the result of the confluence of various factors and an eruption of the tensions that have built up over the years. What lies at the heart is the issue of European security, and Nato’s move of expanding eastward without limit merits reflection. From the longer-term perspective, parties in Europe should follow the principle of indivisible security and, based on respecting each other’s legitimate concerns, pursue dialogue and negotiation to build a balanced, effective and sustainable regional security architecture.

State Councilor Wang Yi stressed that the Ukraine crisis is developing in a way that goes beyond itself, with spillovers affecting the whole world. In this regard, the majority of countries in the world, including China and other developing countries, share reasonable concerns and hold similar positions.

First, it is widely believed that when addressing regional and international hotspot issues, war and sanctions are not the only options, and dialogue and negotiation is the fundamental way out. The current circumstances make it more important to stick to this direction.

Second, the momentum of world economic recovery should not be disrupted. In the context of the on-going pandemic, escalating unilateral sanctions will fracture the global industrial and supply chains and hurt the livelihood of people of all countries, who have no responsibility for paying for geopolitical conflicts and major-country competition.

Third, all countries have the right to independently decide their external policies, and should not be forced to choose sides. When dealing with complex issues and divergent views, one should not opt for the simplistic approach of “friend or foe” and “black or white”. It is particularly important to resist Cold War mentality and oppose bloc confrontation.

Fourth, the sovereign independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected at all times. This principle applies to all countries and regions. There should be no exception, still less double standards.

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