Despite close ties with Russia, China’s Ukraine stance is based on its own interests, analysts say

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has led to tens of thousands of deaths on both sides and created Europe’s largest refugee wave since World War II. In this multimedia series marking the one-year anniversary of the conflict, we look at China’s response to what Russian President Vladimir Putin called a “special military operation” and its diplomatic, military, monetary and economic impact.

Amid intense scrutiny a year into the Ukraine war, China is expected to engage Russia closely and manage ties carefully while weighing its interests in relation to the United States and US allies, analysts said.

China’s relationship with Russia has been under close scrutiny since they pledged themselves to a “no limits friendship” just weeks before the Ukraine war broke out a year ago. As the war enters its second year, a possible trip to Moscow by President Xi Jinping at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin has again put the strategic partners’ ties under the microscope.

Although China has never voiced support for Russia’s actions in the war, its position has been described as opaque because the two countries maintain a strong trade relationship despite Western sanctions on Moscow, further complicating Beijing’s already strained relations with the West. While Washington continues to look for evidence that Beijing is supporting Moscow’s efforts on the battlefield, the European Union is demanding that Xi use his influence on Putin to help end the war.