China has been “anything but an honest broker” in its handling of the geopolitical situation in eastern Europe, US department of state spokesperson Ned Price has said, for its talk of peace is undermined by its “diplomatic, political, economic and rhetorical support” of Russia.
While China is yet to provide any military assistance to Vladimir Putin’s war efforts in Ukraine, and has called for a ceasefire and peace between the fighting nations, at a news briefing on Monday Mr Price accused the Asian superpower of “attempting to maintain a veneer of neutrality”.
But he said that such a position was untenable given China’s various forms of support to Russia, including buying huge amounts of its European Union-sanctioned oil, as well as refusing to condemn the war against Ukraine at the latest G20 summit in India last week.
According to a transcript of the press briefing published by the US department of state, Price said:
“The PRC has told the world that, essentially, it is not taking a position, but rather it has tried to portray itself as an honest broker. In word and in deed, however, the PRC has been anything but an honest broker.
“Leaving aside the question of lethal assistance – which we don’t believe the PRC has provided yet, but we do believe it is considering – leaving that aside, the PRC has already provided important forms of assistance to Russia, including in the context of its aggression against Ukraine.
“It’s provided Russia with diplomatic support, with political support, with economic support, with rhetorical support, including by parroting Russia’s dangerous propaganda, dangerous lies, and disinformation on the world stage.”
