Unfortunately I think it's a mistranslation. None of the Chinese language media reports him calling it a "war", but instead only a "conflict". Official source

Unfortunately I think it's a mistranslation. None of the Chinese language media reports him calling it a "war", but instead only a "conflict". Official source disclosing the same call: http://www.gov.cn/guowuyuan/2022-03/01/content_5676356.htm http://www.gov.cn/guowuyuan/2022-03/01/content_5676356.htm