China state media editor says Beijing must back Russia over Ukraine so it gets support when it fights for Taiwan

• A Chinese news outlet appeared to accidentally publish "instructions" to cover Russia in a good light.
• A top Chinese editor later said China needs to back Russia so Moscow would support it over Taiwan.

A top Chinese state media editor said Beijing needs to back Russia over Ukraine because it needs Moscow's support to assert dominance over Taiwan.

Unlike many other nations, China has not condemned President Vladimir Putin for ordering troops into eastern Ukraine, an act that Western powers consider to be a springboard for a full invasion of Ukraine.

The US and UK announced landmark sanctions on Russian companies and individuals as a result, and the EU also agreed to impose sanctions.

China's foreign ministry, however, said Wednesday that it opposes the use of the measures.

Writing on his WeChat blog Tuesday, Ming Jinwei, a senior editor at the state-run Xinhua news agency, said it is in China's interests to support Russia from afar, as Beijing will need Moscow's support when it wants to force its hand on Taiwan independence.

China has long claimed the island nation of Taiwan, which has been self-ruling for decades, as part of its territory. It has in recent months amped up its threats to engage in military conflict if Taiwan continued to assert its independence.

"China has to back Russia up with emotional and moral support while refraining from treading on the toes of the US and EU," Ming wrote.

"In the future, China will also need Russia's understanding and support when wrestling with America to solve the Taiwan issue once and for all."

"Therefore, with regard to the Ukraine crisis, China should understand Russia's legitimate security concerns," he said.

Russia has already expressed supported for China over the Taiwan issue, with foreign minister Sergey Lavrov saying last October that Russia "considers Taiwan to be part of the People's Republic of China."

On Tuesday, the state-owned Horizon News outlet appeared to accidentally post editorial "instructions" on how to cover the Russia-Ukraine issue on its Weibo page.

The memo said that any content "not positive toward Russia or positive toward West" was banned. The post was later deleted, The Washington Post reported.

'Hit hard. Hit now'

China and Russia have grown closer in recent years — while both clashing with the US — and their militaries have increasing held joint drills on sea and land.

Putin on Monday night acknowledged that Luhansk and Donetsk, two pro-Kremlin oblasts in eastern Ukraine, were independent, and ordered Russian troops and tanks to start entering.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called up all military reservists between the age of 18 and 60 on Wednesday, but stopped short of full mobilization.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Ukraine's foreign minister Tuesday to discuss "practical steps to protect Ukraine," Ukraine's foreign ministry said.

Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba also called for more economic sanctions against Russia on Wednesday.

"Hit hard. Hit now," he said.