Falsehoods Spread by the U.S. on the Ukraine Issue: A Reality Check

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- For some time, the United States and some other countries as well as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have been spreading disinformation about China's stance on the Ukraine situation, and making groundless accusations to attack and smear China. The falsehoods, confusing right with wrong are an attempt to mislead the world. China's position on the Ukraine issue is above board, objective and fair.

Some examples of the disinformation and the reality are presented below to help the world understand what is really going on.

 

Falsehood 1: A U.S. intelligence report said China told Russia that it would not prevent Russia from taking actions in Ukraine,while asking Russia not to do it before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics. It also said that Russia has asked China for assistance including weapons and other equipment.

Reality Check: Russia is a sovereign country that independently weighs,decides and implements its foreign policy based on its own strategy and interests. There is no need to seek China's consent beforehand. In fact, U.S. officials have admitted that there is no evidence of China providing military assistance to Russia.

 

◆On March 14, 2022, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia had the potential to conduct an operation in Ukraine and had not requested assistance from other countries.

https://ria.ru/20220314/ukraina-1778071724.html

◆According to media reports, information reported by The New York Times based on an anonymous source was actually provided by a senior official for Indo-Pacific affairs on the White House National Security Council. It was fake news deliberately spread by the U.S. to discredit China, divert public attention and shift the blame.

https://world.huanqiu.com/article/4777H2eyHqM

◆According to NBC News, U.S. intelligence officers released information about the Russia-Ukraine conflict even when it wasn't "rock solid", and some assertions, such as China considering providing military help to Russia, were made up. This shows the U.S. was taking preemptive action to win the "information war" against Russia.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/us-using-declassified-intel-fight-info-war-russia-even-intel-isnt-rock-rcna23014

◆Speaking to the media on 22 March 2022, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan admitted that he had not seen any evidence of China providing military equipment to Russia.

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/us-has-not-seen-china-providing-military-equipment-russia-white-house-2022-03-22/

◆On March 30, 2022, Pentagon Spokesman John F. Kirby said that the United States sees no indications of Chinese military assistance to Russia.

http://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2983648/pentagon-press-secretary-john-f-kirby-holds-a-press-briefing-march-30-2022/

 

Falsehood 2: The joint statement issued by China and Russia on 4 February this year provides evidence of China's support for Russia on the Ukraine issue. The joint statement is a "veiled support" for Russia's "invasion" of Ukraine.

Reality Check: Last February, China issued joint statements with a number of leaders attending the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics. The U.S.'s interpretation of the China-Russia joint statement is out of context and part of a smear campaign.

 

◆During the Beijing Winter Olympics, many foreign leaders visited China. China issued joint statements with Kyrgyzstan, Argentina, Ecuador, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and other countries to express mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests and highlight joint efforts to uphold multilateralism.

◆In their joint statement, China and Russia call on all States to champion humanity's common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, respect the rights of peoples to independently determine the development paths of their countries and the sovereignty and the security and development interests of States, to protect the United Nations-centered international system, and the international law-based international order, seek true multilateralism with the United Nations and its Security Council playing a central and coordinating role, promote more democratic international relations, and ensure peace, stability and sustainable development across the world.

◆In the joint statement, China and Russia call for the establishment of a new model of major-country relations on the basis of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and reaffirm that the new inter-State relations between China and Russia are superior to military and political alliances of the Cold War era, and the strengthening of bilateral strategic cooperation is neither aimed against third countries nor affected by circumstantial changes in third countries or the changing international environment.

◆The China-Russia relationship features non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting at any third party. It differs from the practice of the US and a small number of other Western countries that stick to Cold War thinking and a friend-or-foe dichotomy to draw ideological lines, form so-called "alliances" and "cliques" and pursue bloc politics to create confrontation and division.

 

Falsehood 3: China helps Russia spread disinformation that "the US owns biological weapons in Ukraine".

Reality Check: The US is doing this for the purpose of diverting public attention. According to public information, the US has conducted more bio-military activities than any other country in the world. It is also the only country that has used biological and chemical weapons in multiple wars, and the only country that opposes the establishment of a multilateral verification mechanism for the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), a public stand held by the US for more than two decades.

 

◆The US Department of Defense controls 336 biological laboratories in 30 countries. Inheriting the "devil's legacy" from the Unit 731, the notorious branch of the Japanese army during the war of aggression against China,the US conducted research and development of biological weapons at Fort Detrick. Despite the entry into force of the BWC in 1975, the US continued with such activities. For more than 20 years, it is the only country opposing the establishment of a multilateral verification mechanism for the BWC, claiming that "the traditional approach ... is not a workable structure for biological weapons" and "(the draft Protocol to the BWC) would put national security and confidential business information at risk". As a State Party to the BWC, the US is obliged to make clarifications on issues of concerns to the international community in accordance with Article V of the Convention.

http://m.stdaily.com/guoji/xinwen/202203/c679761bfe7c44898178ee7ff0a271f1.shtml

◆In the working document submitted by the US to the meeting of the State Parties to the BWC in November 2021, the US admitted that it has 26 bio-labs in Ukraine. According to the fact sheet released by the US Department of Defense in March 2022,the US is supporting 46 facilities in Ukraine.

https://meetings.unoda.org/section/bwc-msp-2020-documents/

https://media.defense.gov/2022/Mar/11/2002954612/-1/-1/0/FACT-SHEET-THE-DEPARTMENT-OF-DEFENSE'S-COOPERATIVE-THREAT-REDUCTION-PROGRAM-BIOLOGICAL-THREAT-REDUCTION-PROGRAM-ACTIVITIES-IN-UKRAINE.PDF

◆The Agreement Between the Department of Defense of the United States of America and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine Concerning Cooperation in the Area of Prevention of Proliferation of Technology, Pathogens and Expertise that could be Used in the Development of Biological Weapons signed by the two countries on 29 August 2005 clearly stipulates that the US Department of Defense representatives shall have the right to participate in all related activities at facilities in Ukraine; all dangerous pathogens in Ukraine shall be stored at designated laboratories; Ukraine shall share with the US data generated by the relevant surveillance network, transfer to the US side requested copies of dangerous pathogen strains, and withhold information designated by the US side as "sensitive" from public disclosure.

https://dontspeaknews.com/2022/02/24/the-secret-us-bioweapons-labs-in-ukraine-and-georgia/

https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05-829-Ukraine-Weapons.pdf

◆On March 8, 2022, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland admitted at a Senate hearing that "Ukraine has biological research facilities, which, in fact, we are now quite concerned Russian forces may be seeking to gain control of, so we are working with the Ukrainians on how they can prevent any of those research materials from falling into the hands of Russian forces should they approach."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydSf57SRtcQ

◆On March 10, 2022, Tucker Carlson, Fox News Channel host, said that the US government is funding secret bio-labs in Ukraine to conduct research on dangerous pathogens. According to him, the US government has repeatedly denied the claim, calling it Russian disinformation, and the American people have been lied to. But the US government official in charge of Ukraine has confirmed that the information about US funding bio-labs in Ukraine is simply true.

https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/tucker-the-pentagon-is-lying-about-bio-labs-in-ukraine

◆On March 18, 2022, Bulgarian journalist Dilyana Gaytandzhieva released an "investigative material" on US-Ukraine cooperation, revealing a substantial amount of details of biological research cooperation between the two countries. For example, the Ukrainian government is prohibited from public disclosure of sensitive information about the Pentagon's program for bio-labs; the Pentagon has been granted access to certain state secrets of Ukraine in connection with the projects under their agreement; and Ukraine is obliged to transfer to the US Department of Defense dangerous pathogens for biological research.

http://news.cri.cn/2022-03-25/d8399086-f156-53eb-dec6-3a9a5dbf3164.html

◆William Scott Ritter, a former UN Weapons Inspector in Iraq and former US Marine Corps intelligence officer, said in an interview that "There is an absolute requirement for stringent confidence-building investigations into what the United States was doing (in the US-led bio labs in Ukraine), so that the world can be confident that the United States operates within the framework (of the BWC)".

https://www.news.cn/world/2022-03/31/c_1128521601.htm

◆During the Korean War, the US military conducted covert germ-warfare operations in northern DPRK and some parts of northeast China. American planes dropped virus carriers such as insects and rats infected with yersinia pestis and vibrio cholerae. During the Vietnam War, the US sprayed about 20 million gallons of defoliant (toxic chemicals such as Agent Orange) in Vietnam, killing 400,000 Vietnamese and leaving 2 million suffering from cancer and other diseases.

◆The US has spread publicly or through US-funded NGOs disinformation on the use of chemical and biological weapons by Iraq and Syria. In an interview with Al Jazeera in 2011, former US Secretary of State Colin Powell admitted before the public that Iraq's possession of chemical and biological weapons was false information. The US government has long been the main sponsor of the White Helmets, and has instructed the organization to release multiple fake videos of the Syrian government using chemical weapons.

http://www.aljazeera.com.com/amp/news/2021/10/18/stain-on-powells-record-lies-to-the-un-about-iraqs-weapons

http://en.people.cn/n3/2021/1119/c90000-9922089

 

Falsehood 4: China amplifies Russian propaganda by claiming that "the US and NATO caused the Ukraine crisis".

Reality Check:People of insight in the international community have publicly warned many times about the possible repercussions of the US continuous push for NATO's eastward expansion.

 

◆In 1990, then US Secretary of State James Baker, during his meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev, promised clearly that NATO will move "not one inch eastward". However, under the domination of the United States, NATO has expanded eastward five times since 1999, increased its membership from 16 to 30, and advanced more than 1,000 kilometers eastward right up to Russian borders, creating a C-shaped encirclement of the Black Sea.

◆A document disclosed by the National Archives of Great Britain showed that the US representative had promised in negotiations back then that NATO should not expand to the east either formally or unofficially.

https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2022-02-18-spiegel--the-west-in-a-1991-document-declared-the-unacceptability-of-nato-expansion-to-the-east.r1bJ_VK6kq.html

◆Russia has for years proposed dialogue with the United States on a European Security Initiative, only to be ignored by the US side. In 2021, Russia offered multiple times to negotiate and sign a peace agreement with NATO, but was rejected by the United States and NATO.

◆The United States and NATO, while fully aware of Russia's security concerns, strengthened military assistance to Ukraine and helped it train military personnel.

According to US media reports, former US officials said that the United States has provided a large amount of advanced military training for Ukrainian elite troops and special operation forces. Since 2015, the CIA has conducted a series of intensive military training in Ukraine involving guns, land navigation and camouflage techniques. The program, which began under President Obama, was expanded under President Trump and further enlarged under the Biden administration.

According to Canadian media reports, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has spent more than 890 million US dollars on training Ukrainian soldiers since 2014, including more than 30,000 Ukrainian troops trained in Zolochiv between February 2019 and February 2022.

https://world.huanqiu.com/article/47Zcn5zwlLa

◆On April 12, 2022, UK Armed Forces Minister James Heappey confirmed that the British military would train Ukrainian soldiers in the UK.

https://3w.huanqiu.com/a/9eda3d/47ajbHTJ5hS?agt=8

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/ukrainian-soldiers-arrive-uk-days-26692082

◆The CIA has long been training members of the "Azov Battalion" in a secret place in southern United States. Since 2014, the United States and Ukraine have consistently voted against draft resolutions on combating "neo-Nazism" at the United Nations. In 2015, the House of Representatives of the US Congress lifted the ban on funding the "Azov Battalion" and provided a large amount of military assistance to Ukraine. A report released in 2018 by the Atlantic Council, a US think tank,said that the "Azov Battalion" was among the recipients of weapons and equipment provided by the United States to Ukraine.

◆Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said in an op-ed published in The Washington Post in 2014 that "far too often the Ukrainian issue is posed as a showdown: whether Ukraine joins the East or the West. But if Ukraine is to survive and thrive, it must not be either side's outpost against the other - it should function as a bridge between them."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/henry-kissinger-to-settle-the-ukraine-crisis-start-at-the-end/2014/03/05/46dad868-a496-11e3-8466-d34c451760b9_story.html

◆George Kennan, late American diplomat and observer of the Soviet Union, wrote in The New York Times in 1997 that "expanding NATO would be the most fateful error of American policy in the entire post-Cold War era".

https://world.huanqiu.com/article/46wKCk9TxKL

◆Former US Senator Bill Bradley said that "the fundamental blunder that the United States made in the late 80s, early 90s was the expansion of NATO".

https://ms-my.facebook.com/Progressives4DenRep/videos/bill-bradley-says-nato-expansion-unnecessary-in-2008/4799246893521243/

◆John Mearsheimer, an American political scientist, pointed out that "the West bears primary responsibility of what is happening today. It was largely a result of a decision in April 2006 to make Ukraine and to make Georgia part of NATO". He said, "Here I'm talking about the West, we took a stick and we poke the bear in the eye ... and that bear is not going to smile and laugh at what you are doing. That bear is probably going to fight back, and that's exactly what's happening here."

https://m.guancha.cn/MiErSiHaiMo/2022_03_12_629948.shtml

◆In an New York Times article on February 21, 2022, Thomas Friedman pointed out that the United States and NATO were not innocent bystanders in the Ukraine crisis, and that the decision of the United States on NATO expansion has added a "huge log" to the conflict in Ukraine.

https://www.chinanews.com.cn/gj/2022/03-06/9693915.shtml

◆In a speech on February 28, 2022, US Senator Bernie Sanders cited the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis as an example, saying that the Kennedy administration considered the Soviet Union's deployment of missiles in Cuba 90 miles from the US coast to be an unacceptable threat to US national security. He questioned if anyone really believe that the United States would not have something to say if Mexico, Cuba, or any country in Central or Latin America want to form a military alliance with a US adversary, and that members of Congress would stand up and say, 'well, you know, Mexico is an independent country, and they have the right to do anything they want'"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydL3cHVyRNc

◆Former US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard said in an interview if Joe Biden simply promised not to include Ukraine into NATO, the war would have been prevented.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF5oPNjMZw4

◆After the World War II, "proxy wars" became a major option for the United States to intervene in the affairs of other countries. The Ukraine crisis manipulated by the United States and NATO is a "proxy war." Former UK parliamentarian George Galloway said the United States is prepared to let Ukraine fight to the last drop of its blood.

https://chinese.cri.cn/2022/04/14/ARTIe6oeOKMflgc2uBcYy97H220414.shtml?spm=C09605.PYGuJ2ZGcYXi.S86169.5

◆Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview with the CNN that there are countries in NATO that want the Ukraine crisis to continue, they see the continuation of the crisis as weakening Russia, and they don't care much about the situation in Ukraine.

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2022/04/21/Turkey-s-FM-says-some-NATO-allies-want-longer-Ukraine-war-to-weaken-Russia

◆Francis Boyle, a professor of international law at the University of Illinois in the United States, said that the fundamental problem of the Russia-Ukraine conflict lies in the constant eastward expansion of the US-led NATO. Biden should publicly announce that Ukraine will not join NATO and NATO will not expand, which may lead to a breakthrough in the current situation.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202203/28/WS62414e32a310fd2b29e53b05.html

◆On April 11, 2022, Martin Jacques, a well-known UK scholar, said that the current situation in Ukraine is a product of the United States' Cold War mentality and continued promotion of NATO expansion. It has pushed not only Ukraine but the whole of Europe to the frontline of US-Russia confrontation.

https://tv.cctv.com/2022/04/12/VIDEbVFLVHLQn1SyN1m4RWxr220412.shtml

◆Kishore Mahbubani, founding dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, pointed out that the tragedy of the Ukraine conflict is that the armed conflict could and should have been prevented, and that the decisions on NATO expansion were driven by the short-term interests of US domestic politics.

https://china-environment-news.com/2022/03/23/ukraine-war-where-are-the-peacemakers/

◆Spanish political analyst Manolo Monereo said that the Ukraine conflict has been dominated by the US all along, while its European allies only play their role as a part of NATO.

https://www.elviejotopo.com/topoexpress/ucrania-y-la-gran-transicion-geopolitica-y-civilizatoria/

◆Yunus Sonnell, a Turkish expert on international issues, said that on the surface, the crisis broke out between Russia and Ukraine, but its root lies in the attempt by the US to maintain the unipolar international order as the global hegemonic power, and to squeeze Russia's living space through NATO's eastward expansion.

https://content-static.cctvnews.cctv.com/snow-book/index.html?item_id=8024464082319901938

https://www.archyde.com/turkish-expert-on-international-affairs-ukrainian-crisis-is-rooted-in-u-s-hegemony-russian-ukrainian-foreign-ministers-meeting-is-a-positive-attempt-to-resolve-the-crisis-through-diplomatic-means_/

◆South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the war could have been avoided if NATO had heeded the warnings from amongst its own leaders and officials over the years that its eastward expansion would lead to greater, not less, instability in the region.

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/safricas-ramaphosa-blames-nato-russias-war-ukraine-2022-03-17

https://7news.com.au/news/conflict/nato-could-have-avoided-war-south-africa-c-6107191

◆Doraisamy Raja, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India, pointed out in an Indian Express article that the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine is rooted in the expansionary logic of the military alliance-NATO.

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/nato-is-a-danger-to-world-peace-it-must-go-russia-ukraine-world-war-soviet-union-7854544/

◆In 1992 when then Russian President Boris Yeltsin paid his first visits to China and the United States following the Soviet disintegration, the countries agreed not to regard each other as adversaries, which basically put Russia's bilateral relations with China and the United States on the same level. Over the past thirty years, the China-Russia relationship has made great progress, but it is still based on non-alliance, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of third countries. At the same time, US-Russia relations are sliding into a new Cold War.

 

Falsehood 5: China is trying to deflect attention by claiming that "the United States, especially US defense contractors, are the biggest beneficiary of the Ukraine crisis" .

Reality Check: It is an indisputable fact that the US military enterprises have raked in huge profits since the Russia-Ukraine conflict started.

 

◆Since tensions surrounding Ukraine started to rise in October 2021, share prices of US military giants have shot up. Over the past six months, Lockheed Martin's shares have grown by about 35%, while those of Northrop Grumman gained 27% and Raytheon by 14.5%. James Taiclet, chief executive of Lockheed Martin, said that the competition between major powers would bring more business to the company.

http://tv.cctv.com/2022/03/26/VIDE7O6P9UbKyW37zBGyXTZt220326.shtml

◆According to the report Trends in International Arms Transfer published on March 14, 2022 by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the volume of international transfers of major arms in 2017-21 was 4.6 percent lower than in 2012-16. However,US arms exports grew by 14 percent between 2012-16 and 2017-21, pushing its global share up from 32 percent to 39 percent.

https://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2022/global-arms-trade-falls-slightly-imports-europe-east-asia-and-oceania-rise

◆Statistics released by SIPRI in December 2021 listed 41 US companies as among the world's Top 100 Arms-producing and Military Services Companies, accounting for 54% of the combined arms sales of the Top 100.

https://sipri.org/publications/2021/sipri-fact-sheets/sipri-top-100-arms-producing-and-military-services-companies-2020

◆Statistics of World Bank show that the US military budget has been rising year after year, accounting for more than one third of the world's total military expenditure since 2000. On March 28, 2022, the US Administration submitted to Congress a proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Budget request of $813.3 billion for national defense. The FY 2023 DoD Budget request is a 4.1% increase from the FY 2022 enacted amount. The US military expenditure accounts for nearly half of the world total and is equivalent to the military expenditure of more than 100 countries combined.

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.XPND.CD?most_recent_value_desc=true

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2980014/the-department-of-defense-releases-the-presidents-fiscal-year-2023-defense-budg/#:~:text=On%20March%2028%2C%202022%2C%20the%20Biden-Harris%20Administration%20submitted,which%20is%20for%20the%20Department%20of%20Defense%20%28DoD%29.

◆CNN reported that the United States is expected to announce that it is sending hundreds of millions of dollars in new military assistance to Ukraine. If approved, the addition of approximately 700 million US dollars in security assistance would bring the total aid to Ukraine to more than 3 billion dollars since the start of the Biden administration, including nearly 2.5 billion dollars since the latest Russia-Ukraine conflict.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/12/politics/us-ukraine-security-assistance/index.html

◆Boaventura de Sousa Santos, a Portugese expert on international issues, said that US foreign policy and democracy are dominated by three oligarchies: the military-industrial complex; the gas, oil and mining complex; and the banking and real estate complex. One of their ways to gain enormous profits is to keep the world at war, and they are increasingly dependent on US arms sales.

https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/03/14/why-europe-needs-to-take-a-hard-look-at-itself.

◆Tulsi Gabbard, a former Congresswoman of the US, said in an interview that the US military-industrial won benefits from the Ukraine crisis while the people of the United States, Ukraine and Russia paid the price. It undermines US national security, but the military-industrial complex that controls US politicians runs to the bank.

http://tv.cctv.com/2022/03/26/VIDE7O6P9UbKyW37zBGyXTZt220326.shtml

◆Franklin Spinney, who worked for 26 years at the US Office of the Secretary of Defense, said the Russo-Ukrainian War has the champagne corks quietly popping in the Pentagon, on K Street, in the defense industry, and throughout the halls of Congress, who are making handsome money.

http://tv.cctv.com/2022/03/26/VIDE7O6P9UbKyW37zBGyXTZt220326.shtml

◆Erik Sperling, executive director of the anti-war organization Just Foreign Policy, said that everyone in Washington D.C. knows that weapons manufacturers are helping skew US policy towards militarism. They are cashing in on tensions over Ukraine as the United States pours weapons into the region, and many European countries are flooding the United States with weapons orders.

https://inthesetimes.com/article/ukraine-russia-raytheon-lockheed-martin-general-dynamics-weapons-industry

◆Tunc Akkoc, an experienced media professional, said that the United States is the country that created the Russian-Ukraine crisis as well as the biggest beneficiary.

https://content-static.cctvnews.cctv.com/snow-book/index.html?item_id=7931326657475095756&toc_style_id=feeds_default&share_to=wechat&track_id=5ac14172-d8f7-403f-b5ba-d559bfb75946

◆The US Defense Department has convened a meeting with heads of the country's top defense contractors, asking them to ramp up production to meet Ukraine's weaponry demand.

https://www.econotimes.com/Russia-Ukraine-conflict-Pentagon-to-meet-US-arms-manufacturers-to-ramp-up-military-assistance-1631473

 

Falsehood 6: China has not played a constructive role in resolving the Ukraine issue.

Reality Check: China has always been committed to promoting peace talks. China's position is objective and fair, and represents what most countries hope to see on this issue. China's constructive role has been commended by many in the international community.

 

◆On February 25, 2022, President Xi Jinping held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and expressed that China supports Russia in solving the issue through negotiation with Ukraine.

◆On March 8, President Xi Jinping had a virtual summit with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. President Xi made four points on Ukraine, stressing that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be fully observed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries must be taken seriously, and all efforts that are conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis must be supported.

◆On March 18, President Xi Jinping had a video call with US President Joe Biden, stressing once again that all sides need to jointly support Russia and Ukraine in having dialogue and negotiation that will produce results and lead to peace, and that the US and NATO should also have dialogue with Russia to address the crux of the Ukraine crisis and ease the security concerns of both Russia and Ukraine.

◆On April 1, President Xi Jinping met with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link, during which President Xi shared his four-point views on how to settle the Ukraine crisis under the current circumstances: first, promoting peace talks; second, preventing a humanitarian crisis on a bigger scale; third, fostering lasting peace in Europe and on the Eurasian continent; fourth, preventing the regional conflict from magnifying.

◆On March 31, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi put forward China's five commitments on the Ukraine issue in Tunxi, Anhui Province. First, China is committed to promoting peace talks as the right direction. China calls for a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, and supports Russia and Ukraine in carrying out direct dialogue. Second, China is committed to upholding the basic norms governing international relations and opposes putting small and medium-sized countries at the forefront of geopolitical rivalry. Third, China is committed to preventing the resurgence of the Cold War mentality. China advocates the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and respects and accommodates the legitimate and reasonable concerns of all parties. Fourth, China is committed to upholding the legitimate rights and interests of all countries and opposes unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law. Fifth,China is committed to consolidating peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.

◆On March 7, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi put forth China's six-point initiative on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine at the annual press conference:

First, make sure that humanitarian operations abide by the principles of neutrality and impartiality, and avoid politicizing humanitarian issues;

Second, give full attention to the displaced persons in and from Ukraine, and provide them with proper shelter;

Third, ensure the protection of civilians, and prevent secondary humanitarian disasters in Ukraine;

Fourth, provide for safe and smooth humanitarian aid activities, including providing rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access;

Fifth, provide for the safety of foreign nationals in Ukraine, allow them safe departure and help them return to their home countries; and

Sixth, support the UN's coordinating role in channeling humanitarian aid and the work of the UN Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine.

◆In March 2022, the Red Cross Society of China announced five million yuan worth of humanitarian assistance in kind to Ukraine. Also in March, the Chinese government decided to provide 10 million yuan worth of humanitarian supplies to Ukraine.

◆Many foreign leaders recognized China's constructive role on the Ukraine issue in their virtual meetings or phone conversations with President Xi Jinping.

On March 8, at a virtual summit between the leaders of China, France and Germany, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed their support for a negotiated settlement, their appreciation for China's initiative on the humanitarian situation and readiness to enhance communication and coordination with China to promote peace talks.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202203/t20220308_10649839.html

On March 16, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said he shared China's view that all parties should stay committed to promoting peace talks, and work to prevent a massive humanitarian crisis and contain the negative impact of sanctions on the world economy in order to avoid hampering global economic recovery.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202203/t20220318_10652947.html

On March 18, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that China and South Africa hold very similar positions on the Ukraine issue, and both sides support Russia and Ukraine in keeping the momentum of peace talks and settling disputes through dialogue and negotiation.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202203/t20220319_10653471.html

On March 18, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen talked about the need to uphold a balanced and fair position and make active efforts to promote peace talks.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202203/t20220319_10653473.html

◆Many foreign ministers, senior government officials and heads of relevant international organizations have recognized China's constructive role on the Ukraine issue.

On March 19, Zambian Foreign Minister Stanley Kasongo Kakubo agreed that conflicts should be resolved through diplomatic negotiations and appreciated China's active efforts to promote peace talks.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202203/t20220320_10653587.html

On March 22, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hussein Ibrahim Taha appreciated China's consistent position of upholding justice, saying that peace and stability cannot be achieved without China's support. He expressed readiness to work with China to strengthen dialogue and exchanges, promote mutual understanding and jointly address challenges.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202203/t20220323_10654522.html

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Pakistan is ready to work with China to adopt a common position and make a united voice. Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa expressed appreciation of China's position of upholding justice and balance and promoting peace talks.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/202203/t20220324_10654933.html

On March 29, President and Foreign Minister of the Swiss Confederation Ignazio Cassis said that the Swiss side also believes that diplomacy is the only right approach, and that they stand for resolving differences through dialogues and negotiations. Switzerland is ready to explore ways to strengthen cooperation with China and jointly play a constructive role in seeking a diplomatic solution.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202203/t20220330_10657582.html

On April 2, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai expressed appreciation and understanding of China's objective and fair position on the Ukraine issue.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202204/t20220403_10664402.html

On April 4, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba subscribed to China's views and expressed appreciation for China's humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202204/t20220405_10664766.html

On April 7, Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg applauded China's sense of responsibility as a major country on the Ukraine issue, and spoke highly of China's commitment to promoting peace talks, resolving differences and providing humanitarian assistance.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202204/t20220408_10665786.html

On April 8, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic lauded China's consistent position of upholding fairness and justice in international affairs and active efforts to promote peace talks.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202204/t20220410_10666398.html

On April 14, Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said that Vietnam welcomes China's efforts to promote peace talks, end conflicts and prevent humanitarian crisis. Vietnam shares many similarities with China in its position.

https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202204/t20220415_10668407.html

◆Foreign experts and eminent persons spoke highly of China's approach.

Xulio Rios, director of the Observatory of Chinese Politics in Spain, believed that China has been conducting diplomatic efforts based on its own philosophy, which is an independent approach and eliminates the difficulty of taking sides.

https://www.news.cn/2022-03/17/c_1128480629.htm

Hussain S. Alshammari, director of International Reporters Department of the Ministry of Media of Saudi Arabia, said that China's move shows that China has always advocated the settlement of disputes through negotiation, and China is a responsible power.

https://www.news.cn/2022-03/17/c_1128480629.htm

Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan, Director of the Centre of South Asia & International Studies in Islamabad, said that China advocates lasting stability and security in the region, and that China has always been making proposals to deescalate the situation in Ukraine. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a responsible major country, China always faithfully fulfills its international obligations and plays a constructive role in maintaining world peace and stability.

https://www.news.cn/2022-03/17/c_1128480629.htm

B. R. Deepak, professor and sinologist at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, said that China advocates a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, which can provide answers to the security dilemma of countries in the region.

http://www.news.cn/world/2022-03/17/c_1128480629.htm.

Cavince Adhere,a Kenya-based international relations scholar, said that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has played an important role in maintaining world peace and security. In the process of fostering a fairer and more reasonable global governance system, China is committed to the path of peaceful development, which reflects its sense of mission as a major country.

http://www.news.cn/2022-03/17/c_1128480629.htm

 

Falsehood 7: China's position on Ukraine runs counter to its long-standing commitment to the principle of respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, and is in contrary to the purposes of the UN Charter and basic norms governing international relations.

Reality check: China has all along followed the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries is a basic principle of international law and a basic norm governing international relations, which applies to all countries under all circumstances. International rules and norms are like traffic lights -- they are only effective when everyone abides by them, and only then can common security be ensured.

 

◆China is of the view that sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine, should be respected, that disputes between countries should be handled in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and that legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously and earnestly addressed.

◆China's track record on peace and security is better than any other major country. Since its founding decades ago, the People's Republic of China has never initiated any single war against others or invaded other countries.

◆China feels deeply and strongly about sovereignty and territorial integrity. No one cherishes sovereignty and territorial integrity more than the Chinese government and people; and no one follows this basic norm governing international relations and principle enshrined in the UN Charter more unswervingly and consistently than us.

In modern times, China suffered deeply from aggression by foreign powers and has painful memories of the past humiliations. About 20 years ago, the Chinese Embassy in Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was bombed by the US-led NATO forces, leaving three Chinese journalists killed and many others injured. Even today, the United States and some other countries are still arbitrarily interfering in China's internal affairs and undermining China's sovereignty and security under the pretext of issues related to Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, Taiwan and human rights. Due to external interference, China is the only P5 member that has not yet achieved complete reunification.

◆If the United States truly respects the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity, it should first stop applying double standards, stop interfering in the internal affairs of China and other countries, and earnestly respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China and other countries.

◆On February 10, 2022, US Senator Bernie Sanders pointed out that for the last 200 years the United States has operated under the Monroe Doctrine, embracing the premise that as the dominant power in the Western Hemisphere, it has the right to intervene against any country that might threaten its alleged interests. Under this doctrine the United States has undermined and overthrown at least a dozen governments in Latin America and the Caribbean.

◆In 2018, then US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the Monroe Doctrine "as relevant today as it was the day it was written" .

https://www.arise.tv/us-hypocritical-about-russia-ukraine-war-says-senator-sanders/

◆Over its nearly 250 years of history, there has only been less then 20 years when the United States was not waging military operations against others.

The 20-year-long war in Afghanistan launched by the United States in 2001 has killed 174,000 people including more than 30,000 Afghan civilians, displaced 3.5 million Afghan people, and left 23 million in acute hunger.

In 2003, using fabricated evidence and blatantly bypassing the UN Security Council, the United States launched the war in Iraq. It is reported that the eight-year Iraq war has killed more than 650,000 Iraqi people, displaced at least 5.1 million Iraqi refugees, and left 10 million Iraqis, which is about one third of the country's population, living below the poverty line.

The United States has carried out multiple air strikes against Syria over an alleged chemical weapon incident. Statistics show that 3,833 people were directly killed in the bombings by the US-led coalition between 2016 and 2019, half of them women and children. Instead of putting an end to conflicts and chaos, the so-called humanitarian intervention of the United States has only exacerbated humanitarian disasters in Syria.

https://archive.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/170-sanctions/41952.html

http://www.news.cn/world/2022-03/19/c_1128484649.htm

◆On March 18, 2022, President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia questioned why those in the European Union and the West, who are brainwashing others today, didn't think of the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity back in 1999. And on Kosovo, he said that there is no doubt who violated international law and without a decision of the UN Security Council made tough decisions to the detriment of Serbia.

https://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics

https://sputniknews.com/20220324/vucic-slams-natos-ridiculous-russia-accusations-over-ukraine-recalls-illegal-bombing-of-serbia-1094146800.html

◆Alfred de Zayas, a senior UN expert, said in a recent exclusive interview with CGTN that from the perspective of international law, Russia's military actions in Ukraine violated the UN Charter, but the United States and NATO have broken international law so often over the years that "precedents of permissibility" have therefore been set for Russia's current actions in terms of customary international law.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-03-02/UN-expert-Color-Revolution-precipitates-Russia-Ukraine-conflict-184DLmWYKcw/index.html

 

Falsehood 8: By not supporting the vote to condemn Russia at the UN General Assembly, China is standing on the wrong side of history.

Reality check: Most of the countries in the world including China and other developing countries have legitimate concerns and share similar positions on Ukraine. Most countries disapprove of addressing disputes through wars and sanctions.

 

◆In recent communication with China, leaders and foreign ministers of countries including France, Germany, Indonesia, South Africa, Cambodia, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Pakistan, Zambia, Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India, Switzerland and Myanmar have all expressed support that the Ukraine crisis should be resolved through dialogue for peace.

◆On March 2, 2022, when the UN General Assembly voted on the draft resolution titled "Aggression against Ukraine" sponsored by Ukraine and a number of countries, countries who voted in favor have a combined population of 3.3 billion, less than half of the world total. An analysis by Der Spiegel, a German weekly magazine, suggests that while the result may seem clear on a country-by-country basis, it was surprising in another perspective: countries that abstained, which included India and South Africa, represent a combined population of more than four billion, and some of the countries who did vote yes have refused to join Western sanctions.

https://worldmags.net/564912-der-spiegel-nr3-2022.html

◆Sudheendra Kulkarni, former close aide to former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, wrote in an article that the conflict in Ukraine has created a situation requiring India and China to coordinate their perspectives and actions since both have friendly relations with Moscow, and that India's independent foreign policy and exercise of its "strategic autonomy" have been seen in its refusal to be wooed by the US administration to take an anti-Russia stand.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/time-for-india-china-to-mend-their-ties-379259

◆The United States has long imposed an embargo and economic sanctions on Cuba in defiance of resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly. On June 23, 2021, a total of 184 countries voted in favor of a resolution at the UN General Assembly to demand the end of the US embargo and economic sanctions on Cuba, for the 29th year in a row, with only the United States and Israel voting against it. The United States has not yet fully lifted its blockade against Cuba.

◆In December 2021, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution co-sponsored by Russia and more than 30 other countries, condemning Nazism, neo-Nazism and all forms of racism. Only the United States and Ukraine voted against it. Since 2015, the United States has consistently voted against similar resolutions submitted by Russia.

https://www.rt.com/russia/543448-unga-resolution-condemns-nazis/

◆In an interview with the CBS in 1996, former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, then US ambassador to the United Nations, responded to the news that 500,000 children had died in Iraq as a result of US sanctions by saying that "We think the price is worth it."

http://sanctionskill.org/2021/10/06/sanctions-punish-children-and-the-most-vulnerable-oregon-foreign-policy-watch/

◆Over the past two decades or so, the United States has conducted tens of thousands of air strikes in places including Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Syria. The number of innocent civilians killed could be anywhere between 22,000 and 48,000.

https://archive.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/170-sanctions/41952.html

◆In March 1999, the US-led NATO forces bombed the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for 78 consecutive days without authorization of the UN Security Council, killing at least 2,500 innocent civilians, and injuring about 10,000, most of whom were civilians.

https://sputniknews.com/20220324/vucic-slams-natos-ridiculous-russia-accusations-over-ukraine-recalls-illegal-bombing-of-serbia-1094146800.html

◆On August 29, 2021, a US drone strike against a car in Kabul killed 10 civilians, including seven children. On December 13, 2021, the Pentagon announced that no US military personnel would face any kind of punishment or be held accountable for the strike.

http://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/19/politics/military-releases-videos-august-drone-strike-killed-civilians/index.html

 

Falsehood 9: It is a mistake for China not to support US sanctions against Russia.

Reality Check: Both history and reality have proved that instead of bringing peace and security, sanctions would only lead to a lose-lose or no-win situation. Sanctions are never a fundamental or effective solution to problems. On the contrary, imposing sanctions is like "putting out fire with firewood", and will only make things worse. Dialogue and negotiation is the only way for resolving the Ukraine crisis.

 

◆Of the 233 sovereign states and regions in the world, 185 have not participated in the sanctions against Russia. More than 140 of the 190-odd UN member states, including Turkey, a NATO member, have not joined such sanctions. BRICS countries, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states and observer states, and OPEC members are all opposed to the sanctions against Russia initiated by the United States and some other NATO countries.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-03-31/If-sanctions-work-why-do-we-still-need-dialogue--18QrDxBrTzi/index.html

◆6.5 billion vs. 1.1 billion, this is the population of countries and regions that have not participated in Russia-related sanctions against those who have done so. Among this, 4.8 billion people have explicitly opposed such sanctions.

◆Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Franca recently criticized the US and European sanctions against Russia and expressed the view that the unilateral and selective sanctions are illegal under international law. According to him, these sanctions will expand regional conflicts to the global level, and cause severe secondary harm to other countries, particularly the developing countries, while developed European economies will also suffer and face grim challenges such as energy shortages.

https://br.sputniknews.com/20220324/carlos-franca-critica-sancoes-aplicadas-a-russia-e-defende-posicao-solidaria-de-bolsonaro-com-21964575.html

◆According to an article titled "The Messy Middle" published by the New York Times, most Western countries' support for Ukraine, including sending weapons and imposing sanctions on Russia, could give the impression of a united global response to Russia's military operation. But that isn't the case. Most of the world's countries, including many "democracies", have not shipped aid to Ukraine or joined in sanctions, occupying the middle ground.

http://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/18/briefing/russian-invasion-response-world-sanctions.html

◆By the end of 2021, the United States had had more than 9,400 sanctions in effect, a nearly tenfold increase from 20 years ago. The US Government Accountability Office concluded that not even the federal government was aware if and when the sanctions were in effect, and that officials at the Departments of State, Commerce and the Treasury claimed that they had not conducted agency assessments of the effectiveness of sanctions in achieving broader US foreign policy goals.

https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Treasury-2021-sanctions-review.pdf

https://www.realclearworld.com/2021/09/16/the_united_states_of_sanctions_794634.html

◆In April 2019, a study by the Washington-based Center for Economic Policy Research revealed that US sanctions against Venezuela have caused more than 40,000 deaths from 2017 to 2018.

https://wap.bjd.com.cn/news/2022/04/11/10068243.shtml

◆It is estimated that the US economic sanctions against Afghanistan after its withdrawal from the country could kill more civilians than the two decades of war.

https://wap.bjd.com.cn/news/2022/04/11/10068243.shtml

◆The OECD estimated that global economic growth will be more than 1 percentage point lower this year as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the sanctions, while inflation could rise by about a further 2.5 percentage points on aggregate across the world. Europe would face a cold winter and spikes in natural gas prices.

http://www.rdcy.org/index/index/news_cont/id/693192.html

◆US inflation has hit a 40-year high recently. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that Americans will likely see another year of "very uncomfortably high" inflation due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. An economist at Allianz, Europe's largest insurance company, estimated the US inflation rate would peak at "very close or above 10 percent" because of the crisis.

http://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/12/economy/comsumer-price-inflation-march/index.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/10/treasury-secretary-janet-yellen-says-inflation-could-be-high-for-a-year.html

https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/el-erian-says-ukraine-war-effect-to-spur-u-s-inflation-higher

Energy prices in Europe are at record highs, with electricity, heating and transport bills rising in many countries, as well as the prices of food and some daily necessities. According to German media, the current situation in Europe is very similar to the oil crisis in the 1970s, as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has led to soaring oil prices and a high risk of inflation and economic recession.

http://www.mdr.de/geschichte/zeitgeschichte-gegenwart/wirtschaft/oelpreis-benzinpreise-spritpreise-tankstellen-schock-100.html

Data released on April 8 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations suggests that the global food price registered a giant leap in March due to the conflict in Ukraine, up by 12.6 percent from February, reaching a new high. The fighting has left much of Ukraine's arable land uncultivated. In April, spring plowing started in only 30 to 50 percent of the planned area, which means 50 million tons of global grain supplies will be affected.

https://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/foodpricesindex/en/

https://en.mercopress.com/2022/03/23/ukraine-anticipates-spring-crops-cut-by-half-only-7-out-of-15-million-hectares-were-sown

◆According to the first research report on US sanctions against Russia released by the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, the all-out US sanctions against Russia have had a serious negative impact on the world, including Europe and Russia, leading to global inflation, supply chain shocks, and slowdown of economic recovery.

http://www.rdcy.org/index/index/news_cont/id/693192.html

◆Gita Gopinath, the Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, said that financial sanctions imposed on Russia would gradually dilute the US dollar's dominance, which might to some extent fragment the international monetary system.

https://www.businesstoday.in/crypto/story/gita-gopinath-says-sanctions-on-russia-will-boost-crypto-reduce-dollar-dominance-328258-2022-04-01

◆Greek international law expert Sarigiannidis said that "The Western governments do not need a Russian people that would demonize the West. I think it is in their interests to end these sanctions as soon as possible."

https://content-static.cctvnews.cctv.com/snow-book/index.html?toc_style_id=feeds_default&share_to=wechat&item_id=4086689206107585002&track_id=209513E9-4A92-4876-B269-BA57E5C84AAD_668826834984

 

Falsehood 10: The Russia-Ukraine conflict is "democracy vs autocracy".

Reality Check: The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is a geopolitical rivalry caused by the Cold War mentality. The "democracy vs autocracy" narrative produced by the United States on the Russia-Ukraine conflict is a perfect example of its Cold War mentality.

 

◆On April 1, 2022, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore said during his dialogue with the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board that "on US-China, it is one of the things which will be complicated by Ukraine. America asks why China does not stand with it. You have to be very careful not to define the problem with Ukraine in such a way that automatically, China is already on the wrong side, for example, by making this a battle of democracies against autocracies".

https://www.zaobao.com/realtime/singapore/story20220410-1261411

https://www.pmo.gov.sg/Newsroom/PM-Lee-Hsien-Loong-at-the-Dialogue-with-Wall-Street-Journal-Editorial-Board-Apr-2022

◆In an article published on the website of East Asia Forum on December 7, 2021, Baogang He, Professor and Chair of International Relations at Deakin University, wrote, "...framing US-China strategic competition in terms of democracy versus autocracy is a poor strategy. It will intensify global polarization and fuel geopolitical competition at a time when international solidarity is desperately needed to deal with climate change and other shared challenges. The democracy-versus-autocracy framework provides a poor foundation for the 'new Cold War' between the United States and China."

https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/12/07/bidens-misguided-framing-of-us-china-rivalry-as-democracy-versus-autocracy/

◆ In the name of "spreading democracy", the United States promoted the "Neo-Monroe Doctrine" in Latin America, incited "color revolutions" in Eurasia, and directed from behind the scenes the "Arab Spring" in West Asia and North Africa, bringing chaos and disasters to many countries and seriously undermining world peace and stability. Now, again in the name of "democracy", the United States is actually dividing the international community, creating division, and undermining the progress toward greater democracy in international relations.

◆In May 2021, the Latana polling company of Germany and the Alliance of Democracies Foundation (founded by Anders Rasmussen, former Prime Minister of Denmark and NATO Secretary General) released a Democracy Perception Index Report 2021, which is based on a survey conducted among over 50,000 respondents in 53 countries. According to the report, 44 percent of the respondents are concerned that the United States threatens democracy in their country.

◆ Shakeel Ramay, Chief Executive Officer of the Asian Institute of Eco-civilization Research and Development, wrote that "The West has launched a campaign to show solidarity with Ukraine. The slogans of sovereignty, human rights and a rule-based global system are back in business. The West is trying to act as a staunch protector of values, human rights and sovereignty. It is skillfully crafting a campaign and a narrative, which suits its geo-political and geo-economic agenda."

http://news.gmw.cn/2022-03/18/content_35594961.htm

◆US filmmaker Oliver Stone said in an interview that the essence of US democracy is money politics. The United States has styled itself as the model of democracy, yet it is willfully violating international rules and creating division. When it takes 14 billion dollars to elect a president, you wonder what kind of democracy it is. You can't even get a congressman to talk to you unless you pay or you have a business interest. The US government is "totally corrupt".

https://english.cctv.com/2021/12/06/VIDEQlgxOv8kQsqvgrWatpqU211206.shtml

◆US Congressman Mo Brooks has revealed that chairmanships of major committees of the US Congress must be purchased, with the price, charged by both parties, depending on the importance of the committee and a minimum bid of one million US dollars. Special interest groups run Washington, and public policy debates are very corrupt, which is an important reason why the US government has been unable to respond effectively to many challenges.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7esevHM5l3A

◆Winners of 91 percent of US congressional elections are candidates with greater financial support. Ordinary voters are wooed only when their votes are wanted. They are ignored once the election is over. The flaws of the electoral system are all too obvious. For instance, gerrymandering, the prevailing practice of redrawing electoral districts, undermines fairness and justice.

Falsehood 11: Ukraine today would become Taiwan tomorrow. If the Chinese mainland "pursues reunification with Taiwan by force", the United States will impose sanctions on China just as it did on Russia, and China will face severe consequences.

Reality check: The Taiwan question and the Ukraine issue are different in nature. The Taiwan question is a legacy of the Chinese civil war. Taiwan has always been an inalienable part of China's territory, and the Taiwan question is entirely China's internal affair.

◆A total of 181 countries, including the United States, have established and developed diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. But while stressing respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity on Ukraine, the United States has blatantly trampled on the red line of the one-China principle on the Taiwan question. This is nothing but sheer double standard.

◆In 1943, leaders of China, the United Kingdom and the United States issued the Cairo Declaration, stating clearly that all the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, shall be restored to China. In 1945, the Potsdam Declaration reiterated that the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out. All this shows unequivocally that in the international community, there is no controversy at all regarding China's territorial sovereignty over Taiwan.

◆In October 1971, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority, which decided to restore the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China at the UN. The resolution resolved the issue of China's UN representation in political, legal and procedural terms once and for all. The official legal opinions of the Office of Legal Affairs of the UN Secretariat clearly stated that "the United Nations considers 'Taiwan' as a province of China with no separate status", "authorities in Taipei are not considered to ... enjoy any form of governmental status", and that the region should be referred to as "Taiwan, Province of China".

◆The one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiques constitute the political foundation of China-US relations. In 1971, the United States declared that it "acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China", that it would not repeat the phrase that the status of Taiwan is undetermined, and that it had not supported and would not support movements for "Taiwan independence". President Richard Nixon affirmed the above principles to Premier Zhou Enlai during his visit to China in 1972.

◆In the Joint Communique of the People's Republic of China and the United States of America (the Shanghai Communique) signed on February 27, 1972, the United States declared that it "acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The US government does not challenge that position" and that it "affirms the ultimate objective of the withdrawal of all US forces and military installations from Taiwan. In the meantime, it will progressively reduce its forces and military installations on Taiwan as the tension in the area diminishes".

◆In the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America (the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations) signed on December 16, 1978, the United States stated that it "recognizes the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China. Within this context, the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan" and that "[t]he government of the United States of America acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China".

◆In the Joint Communique between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America signed on August 17, 1982 (the August 17 Communique), the United States reiterated that "it has no intention of infringing on Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity, or interfering in China's internal affairs, or pursuing a policy of 'two Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan'" and that "it does not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan, that its arms sales to Taiwan will not exceed, either in qualitative or in quantitative terms, the level of those supplied in recent years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China, and that it intends gradually to reduce its sale of arms to Taiwan, leading, over a period of time, to a final resolution".

◆Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, successive US administrations have promised to abide by the three Sino-US joint communiques. However, not long after establishing diplomatic ties with China, the United States passed the so-called "Taiwan Relations Act", followed by an internal offer of "Six Assurances" to Taiwan, both in breach of US commitments made in the three joint communiques, and the one-China principle established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and widely observed by the international community. Hence they are illegal and void from the very beginning.

◆For some time now, the United States has been bending, changing and back-peddling on its commitment on the Taiwan question in terms of its words and deeds, trying to hollow out the one-China principle.

Politically, the United States has introduced a number of Taiwan-related acts and raised the level of engagement with Taiwan. In 2018, then US President Donald Trump signed the "Taiwan Travel Act", encouraging high-level visits between US and Taiwan officials. The "US Consolidated Appropriations Act 2022" asks the administration to distinguish Taiwan from the mainland of China when making maps of China, a flagrant challenge to the one-China principle.

Military-wise, the United States has never stopped selling arms to Taiwan, and has frequently sent warships through the Taiwan Strait. Since 1979, the United States has delivered 107 rounds of arms sales to Taiwan, including offensive weapons such as anti-radiation missiles, heavy torpedoes and F-16V fighters. Under the Trump presidency, US arms sales to Taiwan totaled nearly 20 billion US dollars. Just over a year in office, the Biden administration has announced three rounds of arms sales to Taiwan. In 2020, US warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait 13 times, the highest record in 14 years.

Internationally, the United States has worked to help Taiwan expand its so-called "international space". In October 2021, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement that the United States encourages all UN members to join it in supporting Taiwan's active and meaningful participation in the UN system and the international community, and invited Taiwan to the so-called "Leaders' Summit for Democracy" hosted by the United States. All other participants to the summit were sovereign states.

◆Under the current US administration, a number of US congressmen and former political leaders have visited Taiwan. In August 2020, then US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar visited Taiwan. In September 2020, then US Under Secretary of State Keith Krach visited Taiwan. After the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Mike Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, headed a delegation of former senior defense and security officials to Taiwan. Soon after that, former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Taiwan. The United States also planned a visit to Taiwan by Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives. A bipartisan US congressional delegation headed by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez visited Taiwan, which triggered much media hype-up by the "Taiwan independence" forces. What the United States has done is a malicious provocation against China's sovereignty and gross interference in China's internal affairs, and will send out an extremely dangerous political signal.

◆The US "Indo-Pacific strategy" is becoming a byword for bloc politics. From strengthening the Five Eyes to peddling the Quad, from putting together AUKUS to tightening bilateral military alliances, the United States is staging a "five-four-three-two" formation in the Asia-Pacific, aiming at an Indo-Pacific version of NATO and a repeat of "Ukraine crisis" in Asia.

◆The US attempts for breakthroughs on the Taiwan question show no regard to the common will of the UN membership embodied in Resolution 2758, contravene the consensus of the international community, undermine the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and jeopardize peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

China must be reunified and will definitely be reunified. The Chinese side will strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with utmost sincerity and efforts. That said, should the "Taiwan Independence" forces make provocations, force our hands or even cross the red line, China will be compelled to take resolute measures.