China Won’t Call Russian Action an Invasion

“China urged action to stop tensions escalating over Ukraine and has called for a diplomatic solution to the ongoing crisis as Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a military operation in eastern Ukraine on Thursday,” the South China Morning Post reports.

“China’s envoy to the United Nations Zhang Jun did not mention Russia by name and he neither endorsed nor condemned Russia’s declaration of independence for Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions or Putin’s decision to send troops.”

Clara Ferreira Marques: “Autocrats help autocrats, and China has so far taken Russia’s side in its standoff with the West.”

Richard Haass: “Now would also be a good time to restart a high-level strategic dialogue with China.”