Ukraine conflict “sounded an alarm for humanity” Chinese President Xi Jinping at BRICS Summit
Beijing - The Ukraine conflict has “sounded an alarm for humanity,” Chinese leader Xi Jinping said Wednesday, as China continues its refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion or even to refer to it as an invasion, while also condemning U.S.-led sanctions against Russia and accusing the West of provoking Moscow.

“The Ukraine crisis has again sounded the alarm for humanity. Countries will surely end up in security hardships if they place blind faith in their positions of strength, expand military alliances, and seek their own safety at the expense of others,” the official Xinhua News Agency quoted Xi as saying.

Xi, who did not propose any solutions, was speaking at the BRICS economic summit on Wednesday. The virtual summit with the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa collectively known as the “BRICS,” is hosted by Beijing, amid rising concerns over the global economic outlook and a growing political divide between Beijing and New Delhi.

China and India have meanwhile feuded over their disputed border and New Delhi’s defense partnership with the U.S., Japan and Australia in what is known as “The Quad.” Skirmishes along the frontier resulted in a major standoff in 2020 leading to casualties on both sides.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a keynote speech in virtual format at the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro are also scheduled to join the two days of discussions.

Xi also said imposing sanctions could act as a “boomerang” and a “double-edged sword,” and that the global community would suffer from “politicizing, mechanizing and weaponizing” global economic trends and financial flows.

China’s increasingly assertive foreign policy and drive to dominate global markets have prompted a backlash in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere, including calls to replace Chinese suppliers and reduce reliance on the Chinese economy.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro maintained an unusual diplomatic tone in his brief recorded speech to the forum, exalting his administration’s results without naming any other country.
-AP