China says reports on Chinese-Russian coordination on Ukraine ‘fake news’

BEIJING, March 3 (Reuters) – The Chinese foreign ministry said on Thursday that reports on Chinese and Russian coordination ahead of Russia’s attack on Ukraine are “fake news.”

Such practices of diverting attention and shifting blame are “despicable”, said Wang Wenbin, spokesperson at the foreign ministry, at a regular media briefing.

Senior Chinese officials told senior Russian officials in early February not to invade Ukraine before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, the New York Times reported, quoting Biden administration officials and a European official who cited a Western intelligence report. 

More than 3,000 Chinese citizens in Ukraine have been safely relocated to neighbouring countries, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told the daily media briefing on Thursday.

Unlike many countries, China did not tell its roughly 6,000 citizens in Ukraine to leave the country in the days leading up to last Thursday’s invasion by Russia, announcing evacuation plans soon after it had begun.

Photo – Ukrainian refugees after crossing the border with Moldova. EC Audiovisual Service

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