A section of Chinese public opinion views the invasion of Ukraine as a legitimate move on Russia’s part, given the general rivalry against US-led “Western hegemony” and the parallel rivalry with Taiwan.
In the eyes of the Chinese, who defend the Russian invasion, the so-called great nations are entitled to enjoy security on their borders.
“Ukrainian people mainly have their leaders to blame for provoking Russia by reaching out to the United States,” Weiwei, a real estate agent in Nanning, southwest China, points out in reports to Lusa.
Taxi driver Wang Tao, asked by Lusa, said Moscow had to act, given the “disgusting” view that Ukraine had been armed by Washington to “carry out an attack” against Russia.
According to a poll released by the Carter Center, a non-profit organization founded by former US President Jimmy Carter, 75% of respondents in China agree that supporting Russia is in China’s national interest. However, about 60% of respondents expect China to play a role in mediating the end of the war.
Beijing has refused to condemn Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and has criticized sanctions against Moscow. China sees a partnership with its neighbor as necessary to counter the US-led liberal democratic order.
Also at issue is the parallel between the conflict in Ukraine and the issue of Taiwan, which Beijing considers a “rebellious province” that needs to be reunified, not a sovereign political entity.
“The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is a ‘counteroffensive.’ [Presidente russo, Vladimir] Qiu Wenping of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, a government think tank, told Putin during a televised debate against the United States’ (US) West’s plan to dismember Russia.
“China’s position is comparable to that of Russia. “The US is clearly manipulating the Taiwan issue and is constantly fanning the flames to dismember China by creating the Ukraine of the East,” Qiu Wenping charged.
China and Taiwan have lived as two autonomous territories since 1949, when the former Chinese Nationalist government took refuge on the island after losing a civil war against the Communists. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and threatens reunification by force if the island formally declares independence.
Visits by US politicians to the island over the past two years have prompted the Chinese military to carry out large-scale military exercises.
Beijing sees high-level visits to the region as meddling in its affairs and de facto recognition of Taiwan’s sovereignty.
The image of Russian leader Vladimir Putin as a “tough guy” is highly praised in China, where the authoritarian regime favors “strong” leaders.
“Putin is a real man, he doesn’t hesitate to act”, says Lusa, still a real estate agent.
Dozens of biographies and articles about Putin are available in Chinese bookstores, a rare distinction for a foreign politician.
Titles such as “Putin: He Was Born for Russia”, “Putin’s Iron Fist”, “Putin: The Perfect Man in the Eyes of Women” and “The Charm of King Putin” are on display in bookstores in the Asian country.
“Putin has become a tough and unyielding political symbol in opposition to Western hegemony,” the 26-year-old Chinese student with a degree in international relations told Lusa.
“He was a great politician who renewed the faith and hope of the Russian people after the collapse of the Soviet Union,” added the student, who declined to be named.
The military offensive launched by Russia in Ukraine on February 24 has already displaced nearly 13 million people — more than six million internally displaced and nearly seven million in neighboring countries — according to the latest UN data, ranking the refugee crisis. Worst in Europe since World War II (1939-1945).
The Russian invasion – justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin as the need to “denazify” and militarize Ukraine for Russia’s security – was condemned by the generality of the international community, which responded by sending arms to Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia. Across sectors from banking to energy and sports.
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