China’s Xi Jinping calls for Asian unity against outsiders

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on Asian nations to keep the future of the region in their hands and proposed a Global Security Initiative respecting the sovereignty of all countries amidst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in a veiled attack on the United States’ forays into the region with the Indo-Pacific strategy.

President Xi, speaking via video link at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022, outlined a six-point proposal for global security which broadly confirms China’s stand on Russia’s war against Ukraine to protect what Moscow states its security interests against Kyiv joining the NATO alliance.

China has declined to condemn Russia’s military offensive against Ukraine and highlighted Moscow’s concerns over NATO expansion threatening its security. In his proposals, Xi said that countries should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, uphold non-interference in internal affairs, and respect the independent choices of development paths and social systems made by people in different countries.