China Draws Red Line: ‘Russia Cannot Lose’ in Ukraine War, Wang Yi Tells EU”
July 5, 2025
By International Affairs Correspondent
In a stark and revealing moment of diplomacy, China’s top foreign policy official Wang Yi made it clear that Beijing will not allow Russia to lose the war in Ukraine—a warning with far-reaching geopolitical consequences. The statement, made during a tense four-hour meeting with EU foreign affairs chief Kaia Kallas in Brussels.
According to sources familiar with the talks, including reports from the South China Morning Post, Wang argued that a Russian defeat would free the United States to fully shift its attention toward China, something Beijing wants to avoid at all costs.
“We cannot allow Russia to lose,” Wang reportedly told Kallas in what one EU official described as a moment of "calculated realism" rather than ideological posturing.
🧠 China's Geopolitical Chessboard
While China continues to publicly claim neutrality in the Ukraine conflict, Wang’s private remarks point to a broader strategic calculus. A prolonged war, some analysts suggest, serves Beijing’s interests by tying down U.S. military and diplomatic resources in Europe—thereby delaying or diffusing pressure on China in the Indo-Pacific, particularly around Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Despite these private admissions, Wang denied that China was materially aiding Russia. According to the South China Morning Post, he told Kallas that if China had provided significant support, “the war would have ended already.”
However, Ukrainian officials countered that claim Friday. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga revealed what he said was evidence of a Chinese-made component found in a Russian “Shahed-136” (also known as “Geran-2”) drone recovered after a night attack on Kyiv. Photos of the wreckage purportedly show drone parts manufactured by a Chinese firm.
🗣️ A History Lesson & A Reality Check
Diplomatic sources described the Brussels talks as “firm but respectful.” Still, several EU officials noted that Wang Yi used the occasion to “lecture” Kallas—who has held the EU’s top foreign policy post only since late 2024—on history and realpolitik.
“It was a tutorial in Beijing-style diplomacy,” one official said, adding that Wang sought to emphasize China’s view of global power dynamics, which he believes the EU must navigate with caution as Washington’s attention inevitably pivots eastward.
China later issued a formal statement characterizing the meeting as constructive, stressing that “there is no fundamental conflict of interest” between China and the European Union and pointing to a broad foundation for cooperation—despite their divergence on key global flashpoints.
🕊️ Officially Neutral, Unofficially Strategic
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning restated Beijing’s official stance: that China’s position on Ukraine is “objective and consistent,” rooted in calls for negotiation, ceasefire, and peace. But Wang’s private message to the EU tells a more calculated story—one in which the cost of Russia’s defeat is viewed as a strategic liability to China’s global aspirations.
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Even the Ukraine drones use Chinese components so finding Chinese parts in Russian weapons is of no special significance. Chinese high purity magnets are found in US weapons too yet no one would say china was aiding the US.
This post really captures the delicate and complex balancing act China is playing on the global stage. Wang Yi’s candid admission that Beijing cannot allow a Russian defeat highlights how deeply intertwined the Ukraine conflict is with broader great power competition—especially between China and the U.S. It’s a stark reminder that beyond the battlefield in Europe, the real “war” is geopolitical influence and strategic positioning.