But what has the media been saying about it all, especially China's role? When you read the headlines out there, things get a little muddled.

In a US TV channel's headline on the UN resolution, they said that the "UN voted to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine".

But if you read the final text, it actually reads the UN "deplores, in the strongest terms, the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine."

There is a distinction in meaning. Condemn means to declare something to be reprehensible, wrong, or even evil, while to deplore means to express grief for or regret strongly – a less severe term.

It may sound like I'm splitting hairs, but it does matter. Had the resolution called to "condemn" Russia’s action, I believe, the number of "yes" votes would have been much less. 

Words matter, so does accuracy.

Had the news outlet mixed these words knowingly, it would be a prime example of playing with words… To put the record straight, the majority of UN members did NOT vote to "condemn Russia's invasion". 

 

Another spectacle is the different treatment of China and India on the exact same issue. Both abstained from the UN vote, and in both countries, there are voices that both support and oppose the war, like everywhere else really. However, the media have taken a starkly different tone for the two countries.

Both close partners to Russia, China is suggested, even suspected of being an "accomplice", and Chinese citizens singled out for "cheering for invasion". 

India, on the other hand, is only "trying to stay above the fray".  The vocal support expressed by MANY Indian netizens were only part of the "pro-Putin voices online".

Compare the headlines from this same US newspaper: For India: "World Rebukes Russia, India Tries to Stay Above the Fray".

For China? "Why the Chinese Internet Is Cheering Russia's Invasion".

China is apparently getting the "more-favored nation treatment" by the same newspaper. I thought US media is unbiased and independent. Huh… maybe the journalist here got so exhausted picking through billions of comments on Chinese social media that they decided to take a break.

As a matter of fact, there's been a fierce debate among Chinese about the war. And there are crazy comments on Chinese social media, just like everywhere else really. But does that justify publishing a headline that singles out the Chinese as cold-blooded war-mongers?

The same article does acknowledge, while not condemning Russia's action, the Chinese government has "not endorsed it either".  But that's five minutes too late in shaping the readers' impressions.

Some may say, there are also some pro-Russia or pro-Putin comments in the US and the media have not shied away from reporting on those.  Hum… these comments were from the political opponent of the Biden administration: the Republican Party, namely, led by Donald Trump!  It's a different ball game.  Basically whatever one opposes, the other supports, and vice versa.  Merit of the subject itself? Sorry, what was the subject?

 

There's another important point missing from many of the articles. With all the talk about China and Russia's "limitless" friendship, people tend to forget that China and Ukraine are friendly too. What did the Ukrainian side think of China’s stance?  If you rely on western news outlets or agencies, you won't get the answer easily. Here's why.

This news agency article points out there's a good relationship between the two sides. That's true.

The headline goes: "Ukraine asks China to make Russia stop war, says Ukrainian foreign ministry".

"In January," the article goes, "Chinese President Xi Jinping marked 30 years of ties with Ukraine, hailing the 'deepening political mutual trust' between them. Ukraine is a hub in the Belt and Road Initiative, a sprawling infrastructure and diplomatic undertaking that binds China closer with Europe." Also true.

The article goes on to report the latest phone conversation between the countries' two top diplomats, by quoting from the Ukrainian side, only.

"Ukraine's Foreign Minister… asked his Chinese counterpart… to use Beijing's ties with Moscow to stop Russia's military invasion of its neighbor."

Nothing wrong with that, but what do the Chinese say about the call? According to an English-language statement by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister called China's role "constructive".

Well, some may question whether the Chinese statement is accurate. Then they should also question whether the Ukrainian version is accurate too. Had the Chinese statement been inaccurate, the Ukrainian side would have raised the issue, right?

This news agency piece only channels from one side and missed an important piece of information from the other side. Was it laziness or was it a matter of different taste? I don't know. Clearly, the Ukrainian appreciation of China's constructive role in the issue does not sound so politically correct in the West at the moment.

 

Finally, I want to bring up the silencing of certain voices from one side of the conflict.

The EU banned some Russian news outlets, accusing them of spreading lies to justify Putin's war and to sow division in Europe.

When there are clearly different sides to the story, does it really serve the interest of Europeans to prevent them from hearing voices from the other side? If the West has been advocating freedom of expression and safeguarding the other's right to disagree, how do you draw the line and where? Who should decide?

And, by the way, let's not forget, these media organizations, these institutions, have claimed they are the textbook examples of professional journalism.

Anyway, there are efforts to tamper with information that certain media do not like to see or don't want to be seen.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-03-12/Headline-Buster-What-are-media-saying-about-China-Russia-Ukraine--18l9TveeFiM/index.html