China views Russian invasion as a ‘strategic utility’, says ex-Australia PM | Financial Times

By James Fernyhough

China will welcome a prolonged war in Ukraine as a “rolling strategic diversion” from its own assertiveness, according to former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd, and exploit a distracted west to focus on its competition with the US. Western nations have imposed economic sanctions on Russia and supplied Ukraine with weapons following President Vladimir Putin’s invasion in February. China has refused to condemn Russia’s belligerence, drawing accusations that Beijing supported Moscow’s invasion.

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