China’s foreign ministry on Wednesday, April 9th, urged its citizens to avoid conflict zones and participating in wars, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said troops had captured two Chinese citizens fighting alongside Russian forces.
“The Chinese side is verifying relevant information with the Ukrainian side,” spokesman Lin Jian said, adding: “the Chinese government has always asked its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict (and) avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form.”
Zelensky said there was evidence that “many more Chinese citizens” were fighting with Russian forces, a claim Lin said was “absolutely groundless.”
China presents itself as a neutral party in the conflict and says it is not sending lethal assistance to either side, unlike the United States and other Western nations.
But it is a close political and economic ally of Russia and NATO members have branded Beijing a “decisive enabler” of Moscow’s offensive, which it has never condemned.
