Beijing

Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang on Tuesday urged the international community not to draw parallels between Ukraine and Taiwan, a self-ruled nation which Beijing claims as its own.

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He said that China was deeply concerned over the situation unfolding in Ukraine, and brushed aside speculations that were highlighted frequently that Beijing was closely watching Kyiv in a bid to carry out a similar invasion against Taiwan.

“It has been almost a year since the full escalation of the Ukraine crisis. The international community is watching the developments closely. China is deeply worried about the escalation of the conflict and a possible spiral out of control,” Qin said during the unveiling of President Xi Jinping’s new “Global Security Initiative” (GSI).

“In the meantime, we urge certain countries to immediately stop fuelling the fire, stop shifting blame to China, and stop touting ‘Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow’,” Qin said, according to an official readout of his speech released by the Chinese foreign ministry.

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In his remarks, Qin attempted to portray China as a neutral and responsible world power, working for peace amid global turmoil.

“Since the outbreak of the (Ukraine) crisis, China has taken an objective and impartial stance based on the merits of the issue,” Qin said.

He retreated Beijing’s push for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries saying that the legitimate security concerns of all countries must be taken seriously.

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“China - which has provided strong political backing to Russia on Ukraine and has never described Moscow’s action as an invasion,” Qin said, adding that it will continue to promote peace talks, contribute its ideas for a political settlement of the crisis, and join the international community to promote dialogue and consultation, address the concerns of all parties and seek common security.

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