China has questioned the West’s silence on civilian casualties in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars while defending its stance on the Ukraine crisis in the face of growing concern about civilian casualties as a result of the Russian invasion.
When asked why Beijing did not expressly oppose the Russian invasion and whether it agreed with US Vice President Joe Biden’s description of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “war criminal,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said, “the US, NATO, and some Western media are extremely hypocritical.”
China said they are having a consistent stance on peace talks
“I want to emphasize China’s consistent stance on peace talks. You may wish to consult China’s statements on hot-button issues such as Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Palestine, and Israel,” he said. “When it comes to civilian casualties and humanitarian crises, I’m curious if you’re as concerned about the people of Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Palestine as I am. Are these civilians insignificant to you? Never forget Serbia or Yugoslavia in 1999. Did you demonstrate any concern for civilian casualties there? If not, you are not in a position to level charges against China.”
China, like India, has voted against United Nations resolutions condemning Russia. While it has stated that it supports Ukraine’s sovereignty, it has also expressed support for what it refers to as Russia’s “legitimate security concerns.”
When asked if this balancing act had become more difficult in light of the mounting civilian casualties in Ukraine, Mr. Zhao responded, “When we speak of ‘uncomfortable,’ it is those countries that delude themselves into believing they can lord it over the world after winning the Cold War, those that continue to drive NATO’s eastward expansion five times in defiance of other countries’ security concerns, and those that wage wars across the globe while accusing other countries of committing genocide.”
“I’ve learned that cats, dogs, and trees will be sanctioned in Russia. Additionally, I’ve heard that Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake has been axed. However, Tchaikovsky was a well-known composer who died more than a century ago. What faults can be found with him or his Swan Lake, a ballet that has stood the test of time?” he inquired.
“I’d like to pose a few questions for your consideration. The US asserted that it was defending peace by assisting NATO’s five waves of eastward expansion. Is peace established? It stated that the purpose was to avert war in Europe. Is the threat of war averted? … The US and NATO hold the key to resolving the Ukraine crisis. We hope that the United States and NATO, the crisis’s primary perpetrators, can reflect on their roles in the Ukraine crisis.”