Zhao Lijian Photo: VCG

"As the initiator of the Ukraine crisis, why does the US not reflect on its and NATO's responsibility of causing the current security crisis in Europe? Why does it not rethink its hypocrisy in fanning the flames of the Ukraine crisis? Why doesn't the EU media rethink how the region has become a battlefield?" Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian asked in response to some foreign media's questions on China's stand on the Ukraine crisis. 

At a routine press conference on Friday, some foreign media kept mentioning the civilian causalities in Ukraine and asked whether China has noticed the information to pressure it to denounce Russia. 

"For the past few days, I have given an answer to this question many times. China, of course, has grieved about the casualties of civilians and I don't know the meaning of badgering on this question," Zhao said, asking a string of questions in response.

"As the initiator of the Ukraine crisis, why has the US kept smearing China instead of rethinking the security crisis made by the expansion of the US-led NATO? Why did the US not listen to experts' advice of not making Ukraine the bridgehead between Russia and the West? Why has the US not rethought its hypocrisy in fanning the flames of the Ukraine crisis while standing back? Have people in Europe never thought about this? Why has the US ramped up efforts to expand NATO, but not send military support to Ukraine? Do you still remember that the US was the first to evacuate its people and working staff from its embassy and consulates in Ukraine? Have you ever thought that the US will not send one American soldier to Ukraine?" asked Zhao. 

 "As European media, have you ever thought about why Europe has fallen into a battlefield and arena for contests of major powers? Why has Ukraine become the chess piece and sacrifice of such contests?" Zhao added. 

The last thing that the US should do is smear China - a non-directly-relevant party. Such moves expose its hypocrisy and malicious purposes to shift blame and to benefit from the crisis, Zhao said. 

In recent days, the US and Western media have ramped up efforts pressing China to denounce Russia over the Ukraine crisis. On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki again mentioned the topic and claimed that the US is deeply concerned about the casualties of civilians Russia caused while China has not made a denunciation. 

In response, Zhao said lives are precious, and it is saddened to see civilian casualties. China has always called to avoid casualties of civilians. And while the US is expressing concerns over Ukrainians, it should also express concerns over the innocent lives that died during the US and NATO's air raids in Yugoslavia, Syria and Iraq. 

"We all remember that in March 1999, without permission from the UN Security Council, the US-led NATO blatantly started 78 days of attacks in Yugoslavia, causing the death of 2,500 civilians, and injuring over 10,000. For the past 20 years, the US has made thousands of air raids in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia, leaving at least 22,000 civilians dead - the number may even be 48,000," Zhao said, asking "whether the US will also express concerns over the deaths of these civilians as a result of its military actions?"

On Wednesday, the US announced $800 million in military aid to Ukraine. Unlike the lethal weapons that the US has offered Ukraine, China has offered Ukraine food, milk powder, sleeping bags, quilts, and other humanitarian assistance. 

"Has the US' latest weapons assistance to Ukraine brought stability and security to Ukraine? Or will it make more casualties of civilians? Do Ukrainian people need more food and sleeping bags or guns and ammunition? It is not hard for people who have rationality and common sense to make the right judgment," Zhao said. 

The Ukraine crisis has created several millions of refugees and "the US had predicted this consequence but it still incited the crisis," said Zhao, noting that the US should deeply reflect on the root causes of the refugee problems in Ukraine. 

One of the true victims of the Ukraine crisis is Europe, and the US is standing aside without help, Zhao said, noting that the US claimed it was concerned about the refugees, but its talk is nothing but hypocritical. 


Global Times