A Chinese official has blamed the United States for causing the war in Ukraine, describing the country as the ‘real destroyer’ of world peace.
Zhang Hanhui, the Chinese Ambassador to Russia said America is ‘the initiator and main instigator’ of Putin’s invasion and that ‘their ultimate goal is to exhaust and crush Russia’.
Mr. Hanhui warned Washington that a similar approach in Taiwan would result in ‘an even greater crushing defeat’ than it has supposedly suffered in Ukraine.
The Putin apologist ambassador blamed the tens of thousands of deaths in Ukraine on the US and accused it of deliberately expanding NATO to ‘threaten’ Russia.
Hanhui added in striking comments to Kremlin news agency TASS: ‘China strongly opposes the following misguided US actions: hegemony, intimidation, and bullying.
‘US hegemonism and power politics have become the greatest challenge to the progress and peaceful development of human civilisation.
‘Non-intervention in internal affairs is the most fundamental principle of maintaining peace and stability in our world.’
The comments came as Taiwan held more live-fire drills in its waters following the end of Beijing’s largest ever military exercises around the self-governed island.
China has stayed largely neutral on Russia’s war in Ukraine since Putin’s forces invaded its neighbour on February 24.
Ambassador Zhang insisted China-Russia relations are in ‘the best period in history’, with ‘the highest level of mutual trust’ and more ‘strategic importance’ than ever.
China last week accused US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of emboldening ‘separatist activists’ and challenging the sovereignty of ‘China’s territory’ by visiting Taiwan.
However, Taiwan has accused China of using the Pelosi’s visit as an excuse to kickstart drills that would allow it to rehearse for an invasion.