Diksia.com - Chinese President Xi Jinping has personally warned Vladimir Putin against using nuclear weapons in his war against Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday (07/05/2023).
The message was delivered during Xi Jinping’s state visit to Moscow in March, Western and Chinese officials said.
The visit was one of Xi Jinping’s first trips outside of China after years of isolation as part of his zero-Covid policy.
A senior Chinese government adviser said that preventing Putin from using nuclear weapons is at the heart of China’s campaign to improve ties with Europe.
Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has put Moscow and its ally Beijing at odds with much of the continent.
In its public statements, China has consistently spoken out against the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
But many Ukrainian supporters doubt China’s commitment given Xi Jinping’s boundless partnership with Putin and his peace plan.
Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said in March that Xi Jinping’s visit reduced the risk of nuclear war, and they (China) have made that very, very clear.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has not commented on the matter.
But a former government official confirmed Xi Jinping’s warning.
“If Russia uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine, everything will harm China,” an official said.
Russia’s aggression depends heavily on support from China, which is helping Russia navigate economic sanctions that lock it out of key global markets and supply chains.
Last year, China’s two-way trade with Russia hit a record $190 billion as Beijing increased its purchases of Russian energy and allowed it to import key technologies like microchips.
China has avoided criticizing Russia for its invasion, instead accusing the West of fueling the conflict by supplying arms to Ukraine.
But the war has jeopardized China’s efforts to drive a wedge between Europe and the US, according to a senior Chinese government adviser.
A Russian nuclear attack on Ukraine or one of its European allies would risk turning both continents against China, the adviser said.
