Xi Jinping drew closer to Russia on the eve of war in Ukraine

SOME SAW it as a pivotal moment in China’s relationship with Russia, and indeed in the crisis over Ukraine. On February 19th Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, speaking by video link to a conference in Munich, declared that the “sovereignty” and “territorial integrity” of countries should be protected, adding, lest anyone misunderstand, “Ukraine is no exception”. It sounded like an affirmation of international norms, just as Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, was about to shatter them.

But three days later, after Mr Putin recognised two separatist enclaves within Ukraine as independent republics and promised to deploy Russian soldiers to defend them, it became obvious that Mr Wang had been presenting only a veneer of high-minded diplomacy. As America and Europe imposed sanctions on Russia, condemning Mr Putin’s assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, China called on “all sides” to exercise restraint and “avoid continued escalation of the situation”. On February 23rd the foreign ministry’s chief spokesperson, Hua Chunying, said America was making the situation worse by “sending weapons to Ukraine, heightening tensions, creating panic and even hyping up the possibility of warfare”. Ms Hua, an assistant foreign minister, accused America of expanding NATO to Russia’s doorstep, asking “Did it ever think about the...