IN a Tuesday press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said his country is urging the United States to reflect on its responsibilities on the Ukraine issue and to stop using it to smear other countries.
Wang made the remarks when asked about his comment on the U.S. Accusing South Africa of providing weapons and ammunition to Russia.
China to the U.S.: Stop coercing other countries to choose sides
“The U.S. should reflect on its responsibilities on the Ukraine issue, stop coercing other countries to choose sides, and stop smearing other countries. We believe that many countries hope to resolve the Ukraine issue peacefully, instead of selling weapons to other countries like the U.S. and fueling the fire,” said Wang Wenbin, Spokesperson, Chinese Foreign Ministry.
To recall, last Thursday, the U.S. Ambassador to South Africa accused the country of providing such equipment to Russia via cargo ship in December 2022, which South Africa denied.
“The United States is convinced that South Africa, despite its professed neutral stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has supplied weapons to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Army,” said Reuben Brigety, U.S. Ambassador to South Africa.
The South African Foreign Ministry last week also said that the U.S. Ambassador to South Africa should apologize to the government of South Africa and the people for their words.
Putin, Zelenskyy agree to receive peace delegation —Ramphosa
Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy both agreed to receive a peace delegation to host a peace mission from African leaders seeking to resolve the conflict between both countries.
Reports citing Ramaphosa said,
“My discussions with the two leaders demonstrated that they are both ready to receive the African leaders and to have a discussion on how this conflict can be brought to an end.”
“Whether that will succeed or not is going to depend on the discussions that will be held,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa.
South Africa is among the countries that have refused to join the campaign to sanction Russia since the conflict broke out last year.
According to the South African president, the leaders of Senegal, Egypt, and Uganda, had agreed to participate in the peace initiative, and the U.S., the U.K., and the U.N. secretary-general had all been briefed on the matter.
Aside from the African Nations, other countries, including China, India, Türkiye, and Brazil, had offered to broker peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
