Delegate after delegate came up to the rostrum Monday at a special session of the United Nations General Assembly and condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an unjustified, barbarous act against a sovereign state. When it was China’s turn, Beijing’s U.N. ambassador, Zhang Jun, predictably took no side in the crisis, saying only that talks between Ukraine and Russia should continue.
“The Cold War has long ended,” Zhang said. “The cold war mentality based on confrontation must end. Nothing can be gained from stirring a new cold war.”
Zhang’s message was directed at Russia and the West, but someone should remind him to refresh his browser. A new cold war is on its way. And it could quickly spiral into a new hot war, another World War, if the international community doesn’t act decisively to prevent it. One of the most pivotal nations at the fulcrum of this crisis is China.
