China sends first shipment of humanitarian aid to Ukraine

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the first batch of a 5 million yuan (US$791,300) emergency aid donation was dispatched from Beijing on Wednesday through the Red Cross Society of China.

The food and other necessities were arranged at the request of Ukraine and would be delivered “as soon as possible through appropriate means”, Zhao told a regular press conference in Beijing.

Zhao also expressed Beijing’s “strong opposition” to the latest sanctions on Russia’s energy sector by the United States, European Union and Britain, and said trade between China and Russia would continue – including oil and gas.

“Frequently wielding the stick of sanctions will not bring peace and security but will only cause serious difficulties to the economy and people’s livelihoods in the relevant countries,” he said, adding that it would be a “lose-lose” or “all-lose” situation that would worsen division and confrontation.

“China and Russia have always maintained good cooperation in the energy sector. The two sides will continue to carry out normal trade cooperation, including on oil and gas, in the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit,” Zhao said.