China declines to deny Stubb’s claim on Russian nukes
China’s Foreign Ministry has not denied Finnish President Alexander Stubb’s statement that Beijing would not allow Russia to use nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine and continues to call for a political settlement of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said this at a media briefing in response to a question about the Finnish leader’s statement, CE Report quotes Ukrinform.
“Following the meeting between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the President of Finland [on July 5 – Ed.], we issued a press release,” Guo said in response to Ukrinform’s request to comment on Stubb’s remarks about China’s non-public position regarding Russia’s nuclear weapons.
The Chinese diplomat did not deny Stubb’s claims, merely noting that Beijing’s position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and nuclear weapons remains unchanged.
“China’s position on the ‘Ukraine crisis’ [the official term used by China for Russia’s war against Ukraine – Ed.] and on the use of nuclear weapons is consistent and clear. We continue to call for peace talks and a political settlement of the conflict,” the foreign ministry spokesperson said.
The Chinese authorities declare adherence to a defensive nuclear doctrine and a no-first-use policy, which means that China’s nuclear arsenal would be used exclusively in retaliation for a nuclear attack against China.
The official Chinese Foreign Ministry statement on Wang Yi’s meeting with Stubb on July 5 does not mention either Russia’s war or nuclear weapons.
“The current international landscape is marked by changes and turbulence, and the world risks returning to the law of the jungle. China will continue to be an important force for peace, stability and development in today’s world,” China’s top diplomat said to the Finnish president at the time.
As previously reported, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that China had assured him in private talks that it would not allow Russia to use nuclear weapons.
Photo: Chat GPT
