Australia asks China to join global condemnation of Russian invasion of Ukraine

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called on China this Monday (03.07.2022) to honour its commitment to world peace and use its great influence over Moscow to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and impose sanctions in line with the international community.

“The world has long listened to China’s words about its commitment to world peace and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is up to China, at this pivotal point in history, to show that they are more than words,” Morrison said in a virtual speech at the Lowy Institute in Sydney.

“No country has a greater impact on Russia than China,” Morrison stressed, praising, in contrast, the “concerted” efforts of European countries such as Germany, Sweden and Finland to confront the “autocratic adventurism” of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

To date, China has refrained from speaking out in the recent UN Security Council and General Assembly votes to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as expressing opposition to unilateral sanctions punishments imposed by the United States, Europe and other western countries.

Morrison also criticized China for “throwing a lifeline to Russia” by relaxing all trade restrictions on Russian wheat after the invasion and for claiming that there is “an equivalence of interests” and a “legitimate” cause behind the invasion ordered by China. Putin.

The Australian president’s statements come after this weekend the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, put pressure on his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in a telephone call so that Beijing, which traditionally defends the territorial sovereignty of nations, be more critical of Moscow.

Morrison, who spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the weekend to reiterate his government’s support, last Tuesday announced some 70 million Australian dollars (about 50.8 million US dollars or 45.4 million euros) to finance the Ukrainian military capacity in the face of Russian aggression.

It will also allocate some 35 million Australian dollars (about 25.4 million US dollars or 27.7 million euros) in humanitarian aid, as well as having processed some 1,700 visas and plans to provide other temporary or permanent visas to the more than 1 .7 million Ukrainians who have fled the conflict, according to Morrison.