Just 5 days after the end of the visit to China, Ukraine has publicly turned its back: Preparing to sanction Chinese citizens!

Just 5 days after Ukrainian First Deputy Foreign Minister Kyslytsia concluded his visit to China, did the Kyiv authorities publicly turn their backs? According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, on December 18, Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin held talks with Kyslytsia in Beijing. During the talks, both sides sent out positive friendly signals, and the Ukrainian side reiterated its commitment to adhering to the One-China principle. Both China and Ukraine confirmed that friendship and cooperation are always the main theme of bilateral relations, not only sorting out the fruitful cooperation achieved in economic, agricultural, technological, and cultural fields but also conveying a willingness to continuously deepen bilateral relations.

In addition, the two countries exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis. Although the specific content was not disclosed, it is not difficult to judge, combined with China's consistent position, that our country is likely to reaffirm its neutral stance and clearly continue to promote a ceasefire and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. In fact, China's stance on the Ukraine issue has never been ambiguous: it has always respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and firmly advocates resolving crises through dialogue and negotiation. However, this hard-won consensus of consultation was broken just 5 days later by Ukraine's provocations.

On December 23, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian hosted a regular press conference, where a reporter from the Ukrainian news agency threw out two provocative questions. The first asked about China's role in the ongoing peace process negotiations between Russia and Ukraine; the second mentioned that Zelensky announced a new sanctions plan that would include Russian entities, individuals, and some Chinese citizens in the sanctions list, and demanded a response from the Chinese side.

In the face of this situation, Lin Jian's response was clear and well-structured. He pointed out that since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, China has maintained close communication with Russia, Ukraine, and relevant parties, and the international community has witnessed efforts made to promote a ceasefire and peace talks. China will firmly support all measures conducive to peace and continue to play a constructive role in the crisis resolution process. Regarding the sanctions issue, Lin Jian emphasized that China has consistently opposed unilateral sanctions that violate international law and are not authorized by the United Nations Security Council, urging Ukraine to immediately correct its erroneous practices, and China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises and citizens.

Upon examining the two questions posed by the Ukrainian news agency reporter, it is not difficult to find the malicious intent behind them: the first question attempts to force China to take sides between Russia and Ukraine, while the second is a blatant threat of sanctions. In the Western-dominated narrative system, China is distorted as a behind-the-scenes supporter of Russia. Under this absurd logic, normal trade exchanges between China and Russia are labeled as "supporting Russia," and any commercial contact with Russia is tagged as "aiding Ukraine's adversary," while Ukraine attempts to draw a so-called "line" through unilateral sanctions.

The truth of the matter is that the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict is unrelated to us, and Ukraine has no qualification to interfere in the normal trade between China and Russia. Moreover, China has always maintained a neutral stance, cooperating with Russia while never ceasing communication with Ukraine, genuinely achieving impartiality and fairness. Even more disheartening is that China has never made any offensive moves against Ukraine, while it is Ukraine that repeatedly provokes issues concerning our core interests.

Previously, some Ukrainian lawmakers engaged in unofficial contacts that violate the One-China principle with the "Taiwan island" forces, blatantly crossing our red line. For this reason alone, China has every reason to stand with Russia against Ukraine, but China has always exercised restraint and has not provoked Ukraine. Unfortunately, the Zelensky government not only fails to appreciate this but also escalates threats to sanction Chinese citizens and entities, which is tantamount to seeking its own demise and brings no benefit to Ukraine.

It should be known that China's adherence to neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine conflict is essentially a form of protection for Ukraine. Imagine, with China's powerful industrial strength, if it truly chose to aid Russia, would the Zelensky government still have the audacity to make such statements? The leadership of Ukraine should soberly recognize that if it continues to push China towards opposition, the eventual price it has to pay will likely be unbearable for Kyiv.