Ukraine says Beijing is aware of the presence of Chinese troops deployed in the Ukraine War and may have given “direct or indirect permission” for them to be there, the Chinese Foreign Ministry responding to criticise what it called “irresponsible remarks”.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lin Jian again commented on the Ukraine War on Thursday morning, building on previous remarks on Wednesday where he denied Chinese involvement on Russia’s behalf. Apparently criticising Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky without directly naming him, Jian said “the relevant parties” should “not release irresponsible remarks” about China’s involvement.
He said: “I would like to reiterate that China is not the initiator of the Ukrainian crisis, nor is China a participating party. We are a firm supporter and active promoter of a peaceful settlement of the crisis… We urge the relevant parties concerned to correctly and soberly understand the role of China and to not release irresponsible remarks”.
Reuters, for instance, interpreted the remarks as a “jab” at Zelensky.
Ukraine’s Zelensky first floated the claims about the deployment of Chinese fighters by Russia inside Ukrainian territory on Tuesday, claiming his forces had engaged a squad of six Chinese citizens and taken two prisoner. Zelensky said documents and personal effects taken from the prisoners proved their nationality.
He also claimed Ukraine had further intelligence on Chinese citizens fighting for Russia, and moved to back up this assertion with further revelations on Wednesday, when he said Ukrainian intelligence had collected the passport data of individuals “who are fighting against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine”. He claimed: “We are collecting information, we believe that there are more, much more. These 155 have passport data, where they are from, their Chinese documents, age, etc.”
Zelensky said these fighters were recruited to Russian service through Chinese social media posts but said as well as this overt recruitment operation, there may be a “secret” one underway as well. Zelensky said he believes Beijing must be aware of what’s happening, although he’s not aware China “gave some kind of command” authorising volunteers.
Other Ukrainian leaders were less circumspect and outright accused Beijing. Kyiv-controlled Ukrainian state media promoted the remarks of Member of Parliament Oleksandr Merezhko, for instance. The Chairman of the Ukrainian Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation made clear this view that Beijing was giving tacit approval, at least, to its citizens to go fight.
Merezhko was reported to have said: “China is a totalitarian state with strict control over all aspects of governance. I find it difficult to believe that these individuals, potentially even Chinese military personnel, could have acted without either direct or indirect permission from the Chinese authorities”.
Both Ukraine and Russia permit foreigners to volunteer for their armed forces and to fight in return for pay. Both sides accuse the other of hiring “mercenaries”. Russia came under condemnation last year after it deployed some 11,000 North Korean troops to bolster its own forces, although this seems to have been mainly to defend its own territory, fighting the Ukrainian counter-invasion.
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