Chinese officials privately take credit for convincing Russian leader to back down from veiled atomic threats
China has consistently opposed the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine in its public statements. But many of Kyiv’s backers have doubted Beijing’s commitment to such deterrence, given Xi’s “no limits” partnership with Putin and a “peace plan” that heavily overlaps with Russian talking points.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said in March that Xi’s visit “reduces the risk of nuclear war and they [the Chinese] have made it very, very clear”. China has refrained from criticising Russia for the invasion and has accused the West of fuelling the conflict by supplying arms to Ukraine. Beijing has also made thinly veiled references to “damaging acts of hegemony, domination and bullying” by the US via sanctions.
Shi Yinhong, professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing, said that “Russia has never and will never have China’s approval for using nuclear weapons”. If Russia used nuclear weapons against Ukraine, “China will further distance itself from Russia”, he added. The US, UK, and France, Nato’s three nuclear powers, told the Kremlin they would strike its forces with conventional weapons if it used tactical nuclear arms. In the wake of the warnings, Putin abandoned his rhetoric and did not mention tactical nuclear weapons publicly for several months.
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