China says US "is not qualified to lecture" on supplying arms to Russia
From CNN's Beijing bureau
China's Foreign Ministry on Monday said the United States "is not qualified to lecture" on the supplying of arms amid concerns from US officials that Beijing is considering providing "lethal support" to Russia's military.
Speaking to reporters, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said: "It is the US side, not the Chinese side, that supplies a steady stream of weapons to the battlefield."
"The US side is not qualified to lecture China, and we would never accept the US dictating or even coercing pressure on Sino-Russian relations," he said.
"Who is calling for dialogue and peace and who is handing out knives and encouraging confrontation?"
Wang added that China continues to "urge peace and promote talks" to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and that it stands firmly on "playing a constructive role in promoting the de-escalation and cooling down the situation."
Read also this NYT article:
“Some forces may not want to see peace talks materialize,” Mr. Wang said.
“They don’t care about the life and death of the Ukrainians, nor the harm to Europe. They may have strategic goals larger than Ukraine itself.”