China's ambassador to EU: US profiting from the crisis in Europe

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
23 Dec 2022 23:00

China's newly appointed ambassador to the EU says that the clash between Russia and Ukraine put his country in a difficult spot.

Chinese Ambassador to the EU Fu Cong (L)presents his letter of credence to the President of the European Council Charles Michel on 16, December 2022. (Cong's Twitter account).

The newly appointed Chinese ambassador to the EU Fu Cong told the South China Morning Post news outlet in an interview that the war between Russia and Ukraine has placed China in an extremely tough position in regard to balancing relations between the two countries.

Cong added that the current conflict in Europe had affected his country's relations with the European Union.

"Ukrainian crisis is becoming a problem for our bilateral relations with the EU," the top diplomat to the EU said on Friday.

Cong however noted that Beijing does not believe that, "it should be an issue or much less a problem."

The Chinese diplomat added that the US is the party "profiting from this crisis" by sending military aid to Kiev and banking on high revenue by exploiting the EU's need for oil and gas.

He also stressed the importance to cease military acts between Kiev and Moscow, noting that some countries are playing a negative role to prolong the conflict.

Cong also suggested that the EU and China should mutually lift sanctions they had previously imposed against one another.

Earlier in October, EU leaders said that they would defend their ideals and independence in dealings with China but warned against being dragged into confrontation and deterioration of relations.

"We believe that we must be committed to bringing more reciprocity and rebalancing in particular in the economic relations between China and the EU," EU Council President Charles Michel said following three hours of strategic talks on its approach to China during their Brussels meeting.

Michel added that the EU was still willing to work with China on significant world concerns, such as climate change and health. At the height of tensions between China and the United States, he stressed that the bloc had its "own model to develop."