Chinese newspaper Global Times has learned from various sources that the "anonymous U.S. officials," cited by the New York Times (NYT), who claimed that China had asked Russia not to take action in Ukraine before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics were actually from the U.S. National Security Council.

Citing "anonymous officials" to release disinformation is an old trick that the U.S. has been playing for a long time to mislead the public. The Global Times pointed out that their purpose for this time is to shift blame and smear China. 

The NYT published two reports on February 25 and March 2, citing "anonymous U.S. officials" who claimed that China had some knowledge of Russia's plans on Ukraine and had asked Moscow not to take action before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics. The reports also accused China of standing with Russia to criticize the U.S. and opposing sanctions on Russia.

On March 4, the Chinese Foreign Ministry refuted those NYT reports, noting that the U.S. had fabricated information to smear China. 

"For some time, the U.S. has been spreading disinformation and smearing China with the Ukraine issue. Fabricating rumors to shirk one's own responsibility is very hypocritical and despicable. Spreading disinformation cannot help the U.S. shift its responsibility. Instead, it only exposes its real motive of exploiting the crisis to its benefit," said Wang Wenbin, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

Through various sources, the Global Times has learned that the "anonymous U.S. officials" cited by the NYT are from the National Security Council. Analysts said that the problems associated with the Ukraine situation are clear as the U.S. and NATO are jointly pushing Ukraine into the fire. The U.S., as the initiator of the conflict, is fueling the fire while accusing China of not making an effort to help.

Furthermore, the U.S. seems to have increased its investment in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China's increasing influence despite of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, with an attempt to shift problems and profit from other countries' conflicts. The Global Times called such move irresponsible and immoral.