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China calls US 'main instigator' in Russia's war in Ukraine

11/08/2022 11:23

China called the United States the "main instigator" of the nearly six-month war between Russia and Ukraine.

Zhang Hanhui, China's ambassador to Moscow, faulted the U.S. in an interview with Russian state-run TASS.

"As the architect and main instigator of the Ukrainian crisis, Washington, while imposing unprecedented comprehensive sanctions on Russia, continues to supply arms and military equipment to Ukraine. Its ultimate aim is to exhaust and ruin Russia with a long war and a sanction stick," Zhang said.

The U.S. has provided tens of billions of dollars of assistance to Ukraine since Russia began its invasion in late February and has led a coalition of Western nations in levying sanctions against Russia.

Zhang praised China's relations with Russia in the interview, claiming it has entered "the best period in history, characterized by the highest level of mutual trust, the highest degree of interaction, and the greatest strategic importance," according to Reuters.

The ambassador also commented on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) visiting Taiwan, which Beijing viewed as a violation of Chinese sovereignty, prompting threats and live-fire drills.

Zhang said the visit was indicative of the U.S. trying to "revive a Cold War mentality, contain China and Russia, and provoke major power rivalry and confrontation."

Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia stands in solidarity with China over Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, stating China's attitude toward it "is understandable and absolutely justified."

The Chinese Communist Party has long sought to bring the territory under its control, though Taiwan is self-governed and receives U.S. defense support despite not being formally recognized by the U.S. Taiwan-U.S. relations became unofficial in 1979 after the latter agreed to establish diplomatic relations with mainland China via the "One China" policy.

Pelosi, who was leading a delegation and was the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the island in roughly 25 years, told NBC after the trip that Chinese President Xi Jinping was “acting like a scared bully.” The White House insisted ahead of time that "nothing has changed" with America's long-standing One China policy.

Reuters