Supplies of cluster munitions by the United States to Ukraine may lead to humanitarian problems, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Monday.
"Many countries have spoken out against it [cluster munition supplies], irresponsible transfers of cluster munitions can easily lead to humanitarian problems. Humanitarian issues and military security issues must be dealt with in a balanced manner, and the transfer of cluster munitions must be treated with restraint and caution," Mao told reporters.
Relevant parties should not add fuel to the fire, exacerbate contradictions leading to an aggravation of the Ukrainian crisis, the diplomat added.
The statement comes as on July 7 the Pentagon announced a new weapons package for Ukraine that includes the provision of cluster munition, that are banned by the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
At the time, Grigory Karasin, the head of the Russian upper house's foreign affairs committee, noted that Russia's response to the Washington's decision will be very serious.
UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq, at the same time, argued that the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, is against using such munitions on the battlefield.
“The Secretary-General supports the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which as you know, was adopted 15 years ago. He wants countries to abide by the terms of that convention,” Haq told journalists. “And so as a result, of course, he does not want there to be continued use of cluster munitions on the battlefield.”