The Foreign Ministry said that Beijing will not supply weapons to the parties to the conflict in Ukraine

China will not supply weapons to any party involved in the situation around Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said at a press conference with his German counterpart Annalena Burbock.

“China will not supply weapons to the respective parties to the conflict, and, in accordance with norms and laws, will manage and control the export of dual-use goods,” quotes Chinese diplomat Associated Press. Gang also reaffirmed China’s willingness to help find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

In February, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken declaredthat the United States is concerned about possible Chinese plans to support Russia with the supply of lethal weapons for use in Ukraine, and that such assistance would have serious consequences for relations between Beijing and Washington. At the same time, the Secretary of State said that the United States had evidence that Chinese companies were providing non-lethal support to the Russian army. He added that such supplies could be “a whole range of things, from ammunition to weapons themselves.”

At the end of January, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning statedthat the United States is only prolonging the conflict in Ukraine by supplying Kyiv with heavy offensive weapons. Washington should stop sending military equipment if the United States really cares about the people of Ukraine, she stressed. Mao Ning urged the US to stop “profiting from the war” and create conditions for peace talks between “interested parties.”

On April 6, Mao Ning said that the US and NATO should be held responsible for the crisis in Ukraine. She added that the PRC initially advocated facilitating peace talks on Ukraine and history will judge who “really took a fair and correct position.”

At an informal meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on April 7 in Guangzhou, Chinese President Xi Jinping declaredthat the causes of the crisis in Ukraine are complex and any prolongation of it is detrimental to all parties. At the same time, the PRC President stressed that Beijing welcomes the proposals of Paris on the political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict in Ukraine and is ready to support them.