Martin Quin Pollard and Yew Lun Tian

BEIJING (Reuters – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is something China has refused to condemn. Beijing has been forced to defend a friend it has grown closer to in its opposition to the West.

China repeatedly calls for dialogue. On Friday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told senior European officials via a series of phone calls that China respected Ukraine’s sovereignty but stressed that Russia should address concerns regarding NATO’s expansion eastward.

China told Vladimir Putin, the Russian president of Russia, that he was open to a dialogue at “high level” with Ukraine. Later, Putin said that he was available to send a team to Minsk in order to have talks with representatives from Ukraine.

This diplomatic gesture follows an invasion that Beijing diplomats believe was unexpected to China. China had not told its citizens to evacuate Ukraine in advance and has repeatedly accused America of exaggerating the danger of Russian aggression.

Beijing, which is adamant about its position on Ukraine this week, refused to address the question of whether Putin had told China that he planned to invade. He said Russia, as an independent power, did not require China’s permission.

China’s foreign policy is founded on non-interference and has so far not recognized Russia’s claim over the Crimea in Ukraine.

According to one diplomat of Western origin in Beijing, “Their initial reaction was to deny there was an invasion” was a surprise to us.

“It’s a complete contradiction with their long-standing position on sovereignty, territory integrity, and non-interference.”

INTO THE FRAY

Three weeks before the Winter Olympics began in Beijing, Putin and Xi met and signed a broad-based strategic partnership. They said that they will not allow the United States to influence them and would cooperate “in all areas.”

Days after the Olympics, Ukraine was attacked by China, its biggest trading partner, with $19 billion in bilateral commerce.

Helena Legarda from the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Germany, said that her initial instinct was for the group to adopt the 2014 Crimea post-annexation playbook. This worked very well for them and allowed them to stay out of trouble.

Legarda stated that there is more geopolitical rivalry now than 2014, and China’s attention has been increased.

“People are paying more attention and the idea that we won’t take sides or fade to the background is not an option anymore,” she stated.

TEST OF EUROPEAN TIRES

Beijing has been experiencing deterioration in its relations with America for many years. Russia’s diplomatic support to Russia may accelerate the decline of ties with Western Europe, China’s largest export market. However, others feel that China still has room for maneuver.

Yang Cheng (a Shanghai International Studies University professor) said that while we understand Russia and have our own considerations. He was one of the first to react with surprise to Russia’s attacks.

“But, it wouldn’t mean that our relations to the West would be affected in any way.”

China abstained late Friday night from voting on the U.N. Security Council draft resolution, which would have condemned Moscow’s invasion in Ukraine.

Diplomats stated that the abstention was seen by Western countries as a victory. It came after two hours of delay by the United States and other nations to reach an agreement with China.

Xi recently celebrated 30 years of ties to Ukraine. He praised the “deepening mutual trust” they have. Ukraine plays a central role in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. It is a vast infrastructure and diplomatic undertaking which ties China to Europe.

China’s Ukraine crisis has created uncertainty during a year when China craves stability. Xi is expected to be awarded a unprecedented third term of leadership in the fall.

Wu Qiang, a Beijing-based independent political analyst said that Russia has dragged China into this very unfortunate situation.