Portnikov: China’s involvement in Russia’s war – a diplomatic issue for Beijing

The involvement of Chinese citizens in Russia’s war against Ukraine, even as mercenaries for Moscow, could become a serious diplomatic issue for Beijing, which has consistently emphasized its neutrality. 

This view was expressed by Vitaly Portnikov, a well-known Ukrainian journalist, political commentator, and analyst, as well as a laureate of the Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine, in his blog.

On April 8, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk region had engaged in combat with six Chinese nationals fighting for the Russian army and had captured two of them.

“Of course, unlike North Korea, China does not deploy regular troops to the Ukrainian-Russian front. However, it’s important to note that Pyongyang has never acknowledged the presence of its soldiers in the Russian army and has even attempted to alter documents for North Korean citizens serving in Russian military units or fighting alongside them,” Portnikov said.

Meanwhile, China has frequently accused Western nations of fueling the conflict by supplying weapons to Ukraine.

“The detention of Chinese nationals could force Beijing to take a clearer stance on the potential for peace between Russia and Ukraine. If Chinese citizens are fighting for Russia, China’s claim to neutrality will become less credible than Beijing would like,” Portnikov stated.

This situation could also severely damage Chinese-Ukrainian relations and lead to “the complete cessation of diplomatic ties between Beijing and the office of Volodymyr Zelenskyy.”

“From the perspective of Chinese President Xi Jinping, even if Chinese citizens were captured by the Ukrainian army, Zelenskyy should not have made this information public. Instead, he should have first contacted the relevant authorities, including the Chinese embassy in Ukraine and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for diplomatic dialogue,” Portnikov added.

By publicly revealing the capture of Chinese nationals by the Ukrainian army, Zelenskyy has, without a doubt, “closed the door on any potential dialogue with the head of the People’s Republic of China.”

“Xi Jinping is likely to view this as an uncomfortable move by the Ukrainian president and may no longer see him as a leader with whom to maintain contact. Diplomatic relations between Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the People’s Republic of China are likely to be suspended, as Kyiv has effectively ‘caught’ Beijing red-handed and made it public,” Portnikov noted.

In Washington, reports of Chinese military personnel fighting alongside Russia in the war against Ukraine could elicit more favorable responses, particularly amid the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China. This conflict could escalate into a much more serious and intense confrontation than any of the involved parties currently anticipate.

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