German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has sharply criticized China for providing economic and military support to Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine, warning that Beijing’s actions are threatening peace in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific. In a statement ahead of her visit to Beijing next week, Baerbock accused China of undermining global security by opposing core European interests through its backing of Russia.
“Instead of taking responsibility for peace and security in the world as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, China is opposing our core European interests with its economic and weapons aid to Russia,” Baerbock said. The minister is scheduled to meet with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, to discuss a range of issues, including the war in Ukraine.
Baerbock emphasized that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is not only a direct threat to European peace but also has global ramifications. She noted that the war shows how European security is closely tied to security in Asia, particularly when North Korea sends soldiers and weapons to support Russia while Moscow helps Pyongyang to advance its nuclear program. “If North Korea sends soldiers and weapons against Ukraine, while Russia supports Pyongyang’s nuclear programme, then this jeopardises peace both here and in the Indo-Pacific,” she said.
In response to Baerbock’s comments, a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Lin Jian, rejected the accusations. “China firmly opposes baseless accusations and scapegoating, as well as political manipulation,” Lin said, reiterating China’s long-standing position on the Ukraine conflict. China has maintained that it is neutral in the war, stating that it does not provide lethal assistance to either side, unlike the United States and other Western nations. However, China’s close political and economic ties with Russia have led NATO members to label Beijing a “decisive enabler” of the war, which it has never condemned.
The German foreign minister has been a strong advocate for Ukraine, consistently calling on Beijing to take a firmer stance against Russia’s invasion. In an interview last year, she made a direct comparison between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, suggesting that a Russian victory would embolden other dictatorships around the world. “If Putin were to win this war, what sign would that be for other dictators in the world, like Xi, like the Chinese president?” Baerbock said in September 2023.
As Baerbock prepares for her visit to China, the future of the German-Chinese relationship is at a crossroads, with competing priorities on issues of economic cooperation, global security, and human rights. They will have to balance these challenges so that China-Europe relations are stable in the coming years.
