Urging the United Nations to Vote Against While Pouring Fierce Criticism
Following President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia, China is openly supporting Russia's position on the Ukraine war. When the UK announced it would send depleted uranium ammunition to Ukraine, Chinese state media launched a fierce condemnation, calling it a "dirty act."
On the 23rd, China's state-run Global Times (GT) argued in an editorial that "the UK should be strongly condemned for this 'dirty act'." Earlier, Annabel Goldie, the UK Deputy Minister of Defence, revealed in a written parliamentary response that some of the ammunition for the Challenger 2 battle tanks sent to Ukraine was depleted uranium rounds. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin also pushed back and warned of corresponding countermeasures.
GT stated, "Depleted uranium is not classified as a nuclear weapon, but it is not a conventional weapon either," adding, "Uranium-238 within depleted uranium contains radioactive material."
The editorial also raised critical voices by referring to the West's past use of depleted uranium ammunition. GT explained, "During the Gulf War and the Iraq War, the US military used large amounts of depleted uranium, and in 1999, NATO dropped 15 tons of depleted uranium during bombing operations in Yugoslavia," adding, "After the war, Iraq saw a sharp increase in miscarriages, congenital malformations, leukemia, and cancer rates, and Serbia also experienced a rise in cancer incidence." It further stated, "From a humanitarian perspective, the use of depleted uranium is a highly immoral act."
GT emphasized, "Ukraine, having experienced the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, should be wary of depleted uranium," noting, "Ukraine is one of the world's most important producers and exporters of grains and oilseeds such as corn, wheat, barley, and sunflower oil, and the potential risks and environmental pollution caused by depleted uranium cannot be ignored."
It urged, "The United Nations should officially discuss this issue and clearly express opposition and condemnation to the UK," stressing, "The international community needs to strengthen moral condemnation of such acts, which are not geopolitical issues but matters of basic humanity and morality."
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