Beijing tells US not to use Ukraine to ‘smear’ or pressure China

SpaceWar.com reports: “Beijing’s defense minister told his US counterpart Wednesday not to ‘use the Ukraine issue to smear, frame, threaten or pressure China’, following criticism of its perceived backing of Russia’s invasion.

Minister of Defense Wei Fenghe’s comments came days after a senior US senator said China must pay a greater price for backing Moscow.

China has not condemned the invasion of Ukraine, and has defended its stance on the conflict, while the United States has warned Beijing’s unwillingness to sanction Russia could affect its relations with other economies.

In a phone call with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday, Wei asked the United States to ‘stop conducting military provocations at sea, and not to use the Ukraine issue to smear, frame, threaten or pressure China’, according to a defense ministry statement.

Wei also reiterated Beijing’s position on Taiwan, warning that if the ‘issue’ was not handled properly, it would have a ‘destabilising impact’ on US-China ties…”

The post Beijing tells US not to use Ukraine to ‘smear’ or pressure China appeared first on JVIM.