A report by
Helen Davidson on China’s early response:
The invasion is the first question asked, but spokeswoman Hua Chunying takes issue with that term, and instead
says the situation has a “complex historical background”.
Hua again accused the US and others of fanning tensions and inciting war, saying China’s approach so far had been responsible. “China again calls for all sides to not close the doors on peace and stay committed to dialogue and negotiation,” she said.
The language largely repeated the message of yesterday’s briefing in which Hua also expressed hope that all sides could be “cool-headed and rational” and commit to a peaceful resolution. Chinese state media is today promoting one of her more fiery quotes from that presser, again attributing more hostility and blame over the crisis to the US than to Russia:
When the US drove five waves of Nato expansion eastward all the way to Russia’s doorstep and deployed advanced offensive strategic weapons in breach of its assurances to Russia, did it ever think about the consequences of pushing a big country to the wall?
Among China watchers, several have suggested this reasoning could one day be used in the event Beijing decides to move on Taiwan - an increasingly EU-friendly government that makes big weapons purchases from the US.
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