China says Ukraine crisis has sounded alarm for humanity

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping has said the conflict in Ukraine has “sounded an alarm for humanity,” but proposed no solutions. China continues to assume a position of neutrality while backing its ally Russia by refusing to criticize its invasion of Ukraine or even to refer to it as an invasion in deference to Moscow, while also condemning U.S.-led sanctions against Russia. Xi was speaking at the opening of a virtual business forum of the BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In other comments, Xi said imposing sanctions could act as a “boomerang” and a “double-edged sword,” and that the global community would suffer from “politicizing, mechanizing and weaponizing” global economic trends and financial flows.