China vows not to sell arms to any party in Ukraine war.
BEIJING (AP) — China won’t sell weapons to either side in the war in Ukraine, the country’s foreign minister said Friday, responding to Western concerns that Beijing could provide military assistance to Russia.
Qin Gang is the highest-level Chinese official to make such an explicit statement about arms sales to Russia.
He added that China would also regulate the export of items with dual civilian and military use.
“Regarding the export of military items, China adopts a prudent and responsible attitude,” Qin said at a news conference alongside visiting German counterpart Annalena Baerbock.
The White House on Friday welcomed Qin’s pledge that China won’t supply weapons to Russia, but expressed a measure of trepidation.
Under the ardently nationalist Xi, China has sharpened its rhetoric, particularly on the issue of Taiwan, which split from mainland China amid civil war in 1949. »