Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui is backing Moscow and lays all blame for the war in Ukraine on the West.
Beijing’s Moscow envoy said the expansion of NATO in Europe has eroded security on the continent and is the main cause of the conflict in Ukraine.
On August 3, Zhang gave an interview to the Russian TASS news agency stating that the US-led military bloc had been “fanning flames everywhere, destroying stability and engaging in separatism”, citing turmoil in Kosovo, Libya and Afghanistan as what he said were prime examples.
Zhang claimed Washington was the “main instigator” of the Ukraine crisis.
“The five [NATO] expansions to the east seriously affected the post-Cold War order and security in Europe and became the main reason for the escalation in the Ukraine crisis,” he said.
Zhang described NATO as a “relic” of the Cold War and said the alliance should have been broken up when that conflict ended.
“However, it continues to thrive, sustaining itself by constantly instigating warfare and conflicts … Wherever NATO stretches its diabolical paws, people will die and there will be no peace.”
The Chinese ambassador claimed that, in recent times, NATO had been focused on expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, ostensibly under the pretext of assisting nations in exercising their collective defence rights. He expressed deep concern over that strategy, saying it raised strong objections among countries in the region.
Zhang asserted that NATO had transformed into a geopolitical instrument of the US. Its eastward and Asia-Pacific expansion was intended to “bolster American dominance”.
He said Washington aimed to boost NATO’s influence in the Asia-Pacific region as a deterrent against China and Russia.
Zhang added that the Cold War mindset and confrontations between factions “were no longer suitable for the modern era”. In his view, NATO’s expansion in the region will only escalate tensions, widen trust deficits and potentially lead to a new Cold War.
For many years, Moscow has perceived NATO’s gradual enlargement as a threat to its national security. Russian President Vladimir Putin cited the possibility of Ukraine eventually joining NATO as a reason for the military action taken by Moscow.
Ukraine declared its aspirations to join NATO several years ago and has formally applied for membership.
NATO has been hesitant to approve the application or set a specific timetable for Ukraine’s accession, citing the ongoing hostilities in the region.
