23rd March 2023 – (Beijing) China has declared its support for Russia’s proposal for a United Nations (UN)-led international investigation into the Nord Stream pipeline explosion that took place last year. The blast, which occurred on 26th September 2022, was caused by sabotage, according to the US, the EU, NATO and Russia. The Nord Stream I and II, which carried natural gas to Europe, were both affected. The US and other Western countries broke the silence procedure on the Security Council draft resolution that proposed the establishment of an international independent investigation commission, according to sources.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated that China agrees with the Russian draft resolution that calls for the UN to launch an international investigation into the Nord Stream blast. Wang emphasized that international investigations under the auspices of the UN, as the most authoritative and representative international organisation, can work with existing national inquiries and uncover the truth more quickly. He also stressed that China supports the Security Council’s discussions on relevant issues and called on Western members to put aside their geopolitical and selfish interests and participate constructively in the negotiations of the draft resolution.
The Nord Stream blast has drawn the attention of the international community, and Seymour Hersh, an investigative reporter, recently published a story claiming that the US was responsible for the destruction of the pipelines. Hersh alleges that U.S. President Joe Biden gave the order to blow up the pipeline, and that he believes the Biden administration will not achieve a positive outcome in the Ukraine crisis.
Chinese experts have emphasized the importance of promoting a UN-led investigation into the Nord Stream sabotage. However, they acknowledge that launching such a probe under the existing UN mechanism could be challenging as the US, one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, may object to the investigation proposal. Nevertheless, experts believe that promoting the investigation and relevant debates at the UN will expose the US’ double standards and reveal the harm caused to international security.
In the China-Russia Joint Statement on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for the New Era signed on Tuesday, the two countries called for an objective, impartial and professional investigation into the Nord Stream pipeline explosion. If a UN-led investigation proves that the US was responsible for the Nord Stream sabotage, it could damage the country’s alliance with Europe, and the perpetrator may attempt to prevent such an investigation from taking place. Experts believe that promoting the investigation will at least serve as a warning and alert to the truly responsible party.
China’s support for Russia’s proposal for a UN-led investigation into the Nord Stream blast will likely raise the issue’s profile at the international level. While there may be difficulties in launching such a probe, experts believe that promoting the investigation and relevant discussions will help expose the truth behind the incident and reveal the harm caused to international security.