China criticizes sanctions against Russia as ineffective

China on Wednesday criticized the expansion of economic sanctions against Russia, saying it was incapable of resolving the Ukraine crisis and that they had the potential to harm ordinary people as well as Beijing’s interests.

“The position of the Chinese government is that we believe that sanctions have never been a fundamental and effective way to solve the problem, and China has always opposed any illegal unilateral sanctions. Come on,” Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry, said at a regular press conference. briefing on Wednesday.

“Since 2011, the United States has imposed sanctions on Russia more than 100 times, but we can all think about it calmly,” she added. “Have US sanctions solved the problem?”

Russia has forged close ties with China, a neighbor whose huge domestic economy creates a potential bulwark against Western sanctions. Xi Jinping, the leader of China, meet President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia at the Olympic Games in Beijing this month, and they announced in a joint statement that their friendship “has no limits”.

However, China give an equivalent response As for Putin’s moves against Ukraine this week, neither criticize nor endorse his decision to recognize the two breakaway regions and order the deployment of troops.

But on the question of sanctions, China has been sternly critical, warning against moves that could have broader effects. “When dealing with Ukraine and relations with Russia,” Hua said, “the United States must not harm the legitimate rights and interests of China and other parties.”

Claire Fu research contributions.