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Did Russia Join the United Nations?

Why did China abstain in the United Nations Security vote on the resolution declaring the Crimean referendum to leave Ukraine and join Russia illegitimate?

  • Answer:

    Because voting for or against would have put them in a less than desirable position. Joining Russia in opposing the resolution had the potential to cause problems down the road. It makes it harder for them to argue against American arms sales to Taiwan. It opens the door for outside intervention into some of the regions of China that are/have been under dispute. Opposing the resolution also requires them to support an action that pretty fundamentally goes against their more laissez-faire approach to international politics. On the other hand, supporting the resolution means publicly rebuking Russia, risking alienating a much-needed ally that already feels put-upon by the West. It also means publicly denouncing the "stick" as it relates to Taiwan. So China was in one of those "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situations. Luckily for them, the UN gives them an out and allows them to abstain meaning that they don't have to declare a preference now for how a situation like this is dealt with the future.

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It was a clear sign of Chinese displeasure with the tactics by Russia.   Even though China did not vote for the resolution, make no mistake, an abstain vote is just as good as yes. If China was signalling that they were in lock step with their Russian counterparts, they would have voted no as well. They abstained, which means they can still claim they did not approve of the resolution but it also sends a worrying signal that China is not convinced that what Russia is doing is helpful.

Scott Lowe

The Tibetan issue is relevant, as the previous answer alluded to. Also relevant is China's reliance on Russian support when acting together as a bloc to oppose Western motions. Obviously this doesn't justify China or Russia, but those are the practical motivations which one could fairly assume lie behind China's abstention.

Jeff Vinall

China would have no wish to endorse the principle of secession.  But they also recognised that Russia had been treated unfairly. The Western media have failed to report that Putin seemed open to some deal short of backing Crimean secession.  But the West insisted on backing a Kiev regime composed entirely of anti-Russian parties and which excluded the people who won the last election.

Gwydion Madawc Williams

To show neutrality.

Joseph Boyle

First of all, Russia is one of the five permanent member states， so that what China vote can't change anything. And If China vote the same as Russia, it will make China be in a passive position in the Tibet, XinJiang and Taiwan issue. If China vote against Russia, it will just  do harm to the relationship between China and Russia and make no sense for the solution of Crimean.

Changpeng Li

I will add an answer as proxy for my wife who is from Jiangsu province near Shanghai. It was simply: "China doesn't care about this. Right now they only care about what happen to the Malaysian airplane that disappeared (most of the passengers were Chinese)."

Mark Beckford

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