China to provide Ukraine humanitarian aid, praises Russia ties

China’s Red Cross will provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine “as soon as possible”, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday, as he praised his country’s friendship with Russia as “rock solid”.  

China has refused to condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine or call it an invasion while asking Western countries to respect Russia’s “legitimate security concerns.”  

Wang said the causes of the “Ukraine situation” were “complex” and had not happened overnight, noting, using a traditional Chinese expression, that “three feet of ice does not form in a single day”.  

“China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in pushing for peace and promoting talks, and is willing to work with the international community to carry out necessary mediation when needed.” he said adding China has already done “some work” to promote peace talks and has all along been in contact with all sides.  

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Chinese President Xi Jinping before the start of last month’s Winter Olympics in Beijing and signed a wide-ranging strategic partnership aimed at countering U.S. influence and said they would have “no ‘forbidden’ areas of cooperation”.  

China proposes that “humanitarian action” must abide by the principles of neutrality and impartiality, and humanitarian issues should not be politicized.  
BEIJING, March 7 Reuters