China warned parties in the Ukraine war on Thursday against making “irresponsible remarks” after President Volodymyr Zelensky said Beijing knew its citizens were being recruited by Russia to fight in the conflict.
Zelensky said on Wednesday that Kyiv had details of 155 Chinese nationals who had been deployed to assist Moscow’s invasion, a day after claiming the Ukrainian army had captured two Chinese soldiers in the eastern Donetsk region.
Asked about Zelensky’s assertion on Thursday, Beijing’s foreign ministry told “relevant parties” to “refrain from expressing irresponsible remarks.”
“We would advise the relevant parties to recognize China’s role correctly and clear-headedly,” ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular news briefing, without mentioning Ukraine or Zelensky by name.
China has portrayed itself as a neutral party in the grinding three-year war despite criticism from Western governments that its close ties to Russia have given Moscow crucial economic and diplomatic support.
Zelensky had said earlier accused Russia of “dragging China into this war,” a claim dismissed by the Kremlin on Thursday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Zelensky was “wrong” to suggest Russia was dragging China into the Ukraine conflict.
“Partner, friend, and comrade. China has always taken a very balanced position, so Zelensky is wrong,” he told reporters, including AFP.
Lin said Beijing “has always required that its nationals… avoid involving themselves in armed conflicts in any form.”
“China is not a creator of or party to the Ukraine crisis. We are staunch supporters and active promoters of a peaceful resolution,” he said.
