In 1st clear message to Russia, Xi Jinping says nuclear weapons must not be used

Xi Jinping: Xi Jinping said that he opposed the use of nuclear weapons in Europe.

China's president Xi Jinping warned against using nuclear weapons over Ukraine, in a first clear message to Russia, during a meeting with German chancellor Olaf Scholz in Beijing.

China's President Xi Jinping is seen speaking. (Reuters)

“The international community should … jointly oppose the use or threats to use nuclear weapons, advocate that nuclear weapons must not be used and nuclear wars must not be fought, in order to prevent a nuclear crisis in Eurasia,” Xi Jinping said.

Without naming Russia, Xi Jinping said that he opposed the use of nuclear weapons in Europe, in his most direct remarks so far on Russian invasion of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin's nuclear rhetoric.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said that Xi Jinping “pointed out that China supports Germany and the EU in playing an important role in promoting peace talks and promoting the building of a balanced, effective and sustainable European security framework."

German chancellor Olaf Scholz- who has been criticised for the trip and for increasing relations with China- said that the China tour was "worth it" as there was an agreement to oppose the use of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine.

"I think that in light of all the debate about whether it was the right thing to travel there or not -- the fact that the Chinese government, the president and I could state that there must not be any nuclear weapons used in this war -- for that alone, this trip was worth it," Olaf Scholz said.