Arya News - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi embarked on a three-day official visit to Russia Monday for talks with top Russian officials, including his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and President Putin. In an exclusive and wide-ranging interview with Sputnik, Wang outlined the current state of play in world affairs.
Ukraine Peace Deal Must Account for Root Causes of the Crisis“China is ready…to play a constructive role in a settlement together with the international community, especially the countries of the Global South,” China’s foreign minister told Sputnik commenting on the ongoing efforts to reach a peace agreement in Ukraine.China has been advocating for a political settlement in Ukraine “from the very first day” of the crisis, Wang said, emphasizing that China’s position “corresponds to the aspirations of the majority of countries in the world community.”Commenting on President Trump’s peace push, Wang took note of the fact that Russia and President Putin have always been open to dialogue, and said that even small steps toward peace are “constructive” and “worth taking.”China’s Attitude Toward Russia-US izationSteps toward a return to normalcy in Russia-US ties are “good for stabilizing the balance of power between the major powers, and instills optimism in a distressing international environment,” Wang said, commenting on President Trump"s ongoing push to restore relations with Moscow after three years of naked US aggression.“The modern world is facing a growing deficit of certainty,” Wang said. “In these conditions, major countries must, by fulfilling their obligations, act as a stabilizing factor in an unpredictable world.”China Will Never Accept ‘America First’ by ‘American Bullying’“Instead of fixing its own problems, Washington is trying in every way possible to shirk responsibility and shift the blame, resorting to tariffs, up to and including blackmail and ultimatums,” China’s foreign minister said, commenting on the Trump 2.0"s trade wars.As for Trump’s pretext – using the fentanyl problem to justify a two-fold increase in tariffs, these claims have “no basis,” according to the diplomat.“Fentanyl abuse is a US problem which Americans themselves must deal with. China, like no other country in the world, pursues a tough and thoroughgoing anti-drug policy. Nonetheless, guided by the principles of humanism, we have helped the United States in every way possible. How did they respond? Not with kindness, but malice and the groundless tightening of tariffs.”Steps US Must Take to Eliminate Nuclear DangerThe United States is the central actor when it comes to global strategic insecurity, and must reduce the weight of nuclear weapons in its national security strategy, and take other steps to diminish risks, Wang said, commenting on the nuclear issue and recent discussions undertaken by the Trump administration on reducing arsenals.US “nuclear sharing” and “extended nuclear deterrence,” efforts to create a global missile defense system and the deployment of US ground-based intermediate-range missiles and other strategic weapons near the borders of other countries serve to “undermine” global strategic security, Wang explained.“We call on Washington to make serious efforts to reduce the risks of nuclear war, and achieve the goal of denuclearization of the planet,’ Wang said.Three Pillars of China-Russia RelationsChina’s foreign minister highlighted three characteristic features of the special relationship between the Eurasian neighbors.Russia, China Smashed Fascism Together 80 Years Ago, Now Face New Challenge“Serving as the main theaters of war in Asia and Europe in the brutal war between good and evil” during the Second World War, “China and Russia were the main forces in the joint struggle against fascism and militarism,” Wang said, commenting on the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of hostilities being marked this year.The two nations must “preserve the historical truth about the war’s innumerable victims, and oppose any attempts and actions to deny, distort or falsify its history,” Wang emphasized.