Beijing will not allow Russia to lose the war with Ukraine. Chinese Foreign Minister explains why

According to information provided by an official familiar with the talks, cited by CNN, Wang Yi stressed that China would not allow Russia to be defeated in the war with Ukraine, as this would allow the United States to "fully focus" on the rivalry with China.

The meeting, which lasted about four hours, took place in Brussels on Wednesday and covered a wide range of topics, from cybersecurity, strategic raw materials, trade imbalances, the Taiwan issue and the situation in the Middle East. A CNN source said the exchange was “fierce but respectful.” Wang Yi’s private remarks suggested Beijing may prefer a prolonged conflict in Ukraine to distract the U.S. from China.

China's official position: neutrality and pursuit of peace

At a press conference on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning confirmed China's official position, emphasizing that the country is not a party to the conflict and supports negotiations, a ceasefire and peace. "The prolonged crisis in Ukraine does no good to anyone," Mao said, adding that Beijing will continue to play a constructive role in pursuing a political solution, cooperating with the international community and taking into account the will of the parties to the conflict.

Despite its official claim to neutrality, China’s relations with Russia have tightened considerably. Shortly before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Xi Jinping announced a “partnership without limits” with Moscow, which has resulted in strengthened political and economic ties. Beijing is also trying to act as a potential mediator, but as previous reports have emphasized, the stakes are high for China – losing a strategic partner like Russia would be a major blow.

Controversy over military support for Russia

China denies allegations of providing military support to Russia, although Ukraine has imposed sanctions on Chinese companies suspected of supplying drone components and missile technology. After the recent record-breaking attack on Kiev , Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha released photos of fragments of a Russian Geran 2 combat drone, which was marked as manufactured in China in June.

Chinese Citizens on the Front Line. Beijing Denies

In 2025, there were also reports of Chinese volunteers fighting on Russia's side in Ukraine. Beijing strongly denied the reports and reiterated its call for its citizens to refrain from participating in military operations on any side of the conflict.

However, there was an advert circulating on the Chinese internet which, with the slogan "You are a man. Be a man", encouraged people to join the Russian army. It was one of many which the residents of the Middle Kingdom can watch without any problems, despite strict censorship of everything that appears on their network.

Chinese journalists have established that the first mercenary from the Middle Kingdom enlisted in the Russian army in the summer of 2023. It was Zhao Rui, who died near Bakhmut. Another mercenary, Li Jianwei, openly admitted that the Chinese, after 1-2 months of training, are sent to the front to assault groups, which are the first to be sent into combat. From the moment they join the fight, the Chinese mercenaries were supposed to survive 8-10 hours.