China seeks to unify public in support for Russia

By ZEN SOO
Associated Press
SINGAPORE (AP) — As the West condemns Russia, President Vladimir Putin has vocal supporters in China, where the ruling Communist Party tells its people they are fellow targets of U.S.-led harassment. Public sentiment largely reflects the stance of a ruling party that is the closest thing Putin has to a major ally: The war should stop but the United States is to blame. President Xi Jinping’s government has tried to distance itself from the attack but avoided criticizing Moscow. Ruling party control of all Chinese media and intensive internet censorship make it hard to gauge public opinion, but what the party allows online and requires media to publish make clear what it wants the public to think.