While Beijing insists on neutrality in the Ukraine war, Lithuania’s foreign minister insists that a recent visit by China’s top diplomat to Moscow shows its sympathies lie with Russia.
Wang Yi, China’s senior diplomat, made the visit on Tuesday.
“Mr Wang Yi visiting Moscow clearly shows that they are leaning towards Moscow. The message has to be very clear, if they would decide to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. The West has shown that we can be united when it comes to restrictive measures limiting the chance to help Russia,” Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told the British TV channel Sky News.
On Tuesday, China’s highest-ranking diplomat said during his visit to Moscow that relations between Moscow and Beijing were “rock solid and will withstand any test in a changing international situation”.
Russia and China have “excellent opportunity to continue close strategic cooperation and contacts to protect our shared strategic interests”, Wang Yi said.
Commenting on the meeting, Landsbergis said it cast doubt on Beijing’s declared neutrality.
“I think that we need to take what is being said about their thoughts quite seriously even though they are saying they are neutral,” he insisted.
During his visit to the UK, Landsbergis is also scheduled to meet with Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to discuss further response to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, Russia’s accountability for international crimes, ways to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank, and preparations for the forthcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, according to the Foreign Ministry.
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