China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi reportedly told the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas on July 3 that the country cannot afford for Russia to lose the war in Ukraine amid fears the U.S. would shift focus towards Beijing,

Beijing foreign minister gives EU chief ‘history lessons and lectures’ amid fears Washington will shift focus to the east

Beijing confesses that it fears Washington will forget about Putin and go all out against the Asian giant. The balance between neutrality in the war in Ukraine and the partnership with Putin had been the prevailing script embraced by Chinese diplomats.