Understanding China's diplomatic stances vis-à-vis the Russia-Ukraine crisis

Abstract

As the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis is in flux, China’s diplomatic stances and reactions vis-à-vis the Crisis are puzzling for many observers. Russia's military actions in Ukraine have sent Beijing into a diplomatic scramble. In this occasional paper, we try to offer a more nuanced picture of Beijing’s stances and reactions and contribute to a better understanding of why and how China acts as such. Methodologically, we draw our empirical information from official documents and news media