01:39Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced in Beijing on Tuesday that "the Chinese will always stand by the people of Kazakhstan," regarding the violence caused by the country's recent fuel protests.
Referencing a recent phone conversation between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin explained that 'more and more information' seems to suggest that the unrest in Kazakhstan was caused by external forces.
"China firmly opposes any deliberate attempt by external forces to provoke unrest," said Wang.
Wang went on to state that China would do its utmost to help neighbouring Kazakhstan "get through this hard time."
"The Chinese will always stand by the people of Kazakhstan," Wang stated.
The unrest in Kazakhstan started after unauthorised rallies began in the Mangistau region on January 2, as prices of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) rose from 60 to 120 tenge (€0.12 to €0.24; $0.14 to $0.28) per litre since January 1.The price hike came after the government lifted price controls on LPG, citing a need to liberalise the market.
According to Kazakhstan's Ministry of Health, over 1,300 people have been injured during the protests, and almost 400 have been hospitalised. The official number of those detained, provided by the country’s Interior Ministry, is over 10,000.
Authorities in Kazakhstan have previously claimed that at least 164 people were killed in the unrest, including 103 in Almaty, later however refuting this number due to “technical mistake”.
On Thursday, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) started sending forces to Kazakhstan to assist with law enforcement at the request of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
China: 'The Chinese will always stand by the people of Kazakhstan' - FM spox
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced in Beijing on Tuesday that "the Chinese will always stand by the people of Kazakhstan," regarding the violence caused by the country's recent fuel protests.
Referencing a recent phone conversation between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin explained that 'more and more information' seems to suggest that the unrest in Kazakhstan was caused by external forces.
"China firmly opposes any deliberate attempt by external forces to provoke unrest," said Wang.
Wang went on to state that China would do its utmost to help neighbouring Kazakhstan "get through this hard time."
"The Chinese will always stand by the people of Kazakhstan," Wang stated.
The unrest in Kazakhstan started after unauthorised rallies began in the Mangistau region on January 2, as prices of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) rose from 60 to 120 tenge (€0.12 to €0.24; $0.14 to $0.28) per litre since January 1.The price hike came after the government lifted price controls on LPG, citing a need to liberalise the market.
According to Kazakhstan's Ministry of Health, over 1,300 people have been injured during the protests, and almost 400 have been hospitalised. The official number of those detained, provided by the country’s Interior Ministry, is over 10,000.
Authorities in Kazakhstan have previously claimed that at least 164 people were killed in the unrest, including 103 in Almaty, later however refuting this number due to “technical mistake”.
On Thursday, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) started sending forces to Kazakhstan to assist with law enforcement at the request of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced in Beijing on Tuesday that "the Chinese will always stand by the people of Kazakhstan," regarding the violence caused by the country's recent fuel protests.
Referencing a recent phone conversation between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin explained that 'more and more information' seems to suggest that the unrest in Kazakhstan was caused by external forces.
"China firmly opposes any deliberate attempt by external forces to provoke unrest," said Wang.
Wang went on to state that China would do its utmost to help neighbouring Kazakhstan "get through this hard time."
"The Chinese will always stand by the people of Kazakhstan," Wang stated.
The unrest in Kazakhstan started after unauthorised rallies began in the Mangistau region on January 2, as prices of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) rose from 60 to 120 tenge (€0.12 to €0.24; $0.14 to $0.28) per litre since January 1.The price hike came after the government lifted price controls on LPG, citing a need to liberalise the market.
According to Kazakhstan's Ministry of Health, over 1,300 people have been injured during the protests, and almost 400 have been hospitalised. The official number of those detained, provided by the country’s Interior Ministry, is over 10,000.
Authorities in Kazakhstan have previously claimed that at least 164 people were killed in the unrest, including 103 in Almaty, later however refuting this number due to “technical mistake”.
On Thursday, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) started sending forces to Kazakhstan to assist with law enforcement at the request of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.