Singapore: Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy, on Sunday, made a "surprise" appearance at Asia's biggest security conference in Singapore, where he alleged China of using tactics to influence countries to disrupt an upcoming Swiss-organised peace conference on the war in Ukraine.
Dressed in his trademark olive green T-shirt, Zelenskyy addressed the last day of the Shangri-La Dialogue forum, asking for support and participation at a summit in Switzerland later this month aimed at bringing peace to his war-ravaged nation. "We are convinced that our world wants to be united and be capable of acting in complete harmony," he said to a ballroom packed full of delegates in formal business wear and military uniforms.
Notably, India is also invited to the upcoming summit. However, the Ministry of External Affairs, during a weekly press conference on Thursday, declined to comment on whether New Delhi will participate or who will attend the event. When Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba visited New Delhi in March, he pressed his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar to attend the summit and sought his significant role. However, Indian leader has not commented anything publicaly.
Big independent powerful country as China...: Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy told a news conference that he was not able to meet the Chinese delegation at the conference and was disappointed that Beijing would not attend the summit. "China, unfortunately... is working for countries not to come to the peace summit," he said. "Russia, using Chinese influence in the region, using Chinese diplomats also, does everything to disrupt the peace summit," he said. "Regrettably this is unfortunate that such a big independent powerful country as China is an instrument in the hands of (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin," added Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian leader said of China's pressure on others, “That is not only support to Russia, that is basically support of war.” In a speech to the security conference earlier in the day, Zelenskyy urged top defence officials to attend the upcoming talks in Switzerland, saying he was disappointed at the failure of some countries to commit to joining. As of writing this article, neither China nor Kremlin commented on the Ukrainian leader's allegations. However, earlier during a press confernece in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry argued that Russia was not invited to the summit and therefore it was useless to join the event.
Chinese defence minister warning on Taiwan
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun spoke before Zelenskyy at the Shangri-La conference but he did not appear to be in the room when Zelenskyy made his appeal. However, he warned against the independence of Taiwan.
China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, over the strong objections of the government in Taipei, and last month staged war games around the island in anger at the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te, who Beijing calls a "separatist". "Those separatists recently made fanatical statements that show their betrayal of the Chinese nation and their ancestors. They will be nailed to the pillar of shame in history," Dong said.
He added that although China was committed to peaceful reunification with Taiwan, the People's Liberation Army "will remain a strong force for upholding national reunification". Taiwan's China-policy-making Mainland Affairs Council said in response that it deeply regretted the "provocative and irrational" comments, and reiterated that the People's Republic of China has never ruled the island.
China has repeatedly threatened force against Taiwan at international venues, and its threats violate the United Nations charter, the council said in a statement.
(With inputs from agencies)
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