A new, long-awaited Chinese proposal to end the war in Ukraine is especially disappointing. It contains no new, concrete plans, but is mainly a reiteration of Chinese positions that Beijing has held since the beginning of the war.
For example, China proposes to “resume direct dialogue as soon as possible, in order to gradually de-escalate the situation and eventually reach an overall ceasefire,” the Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday. released text.
But China does not propose to play a leading role in starting such a dialogue itself, nor does Beijing come up with a specific roadmap to achieve peace. It only says that China “will continue to play a constructive role in this regard” and that “the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be effectively maintained.”
Meeting with Putin
Earlier there was the hope that China, especially after the visit of top diplomat Wang Yi to the security conference in Munich and after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, would come up with more concrete proposals that could at least be a first step towards a possible solution. China is seen as one of the few countries that can effectively put pressure on Putin if China chooses to do so.
Beijing is not coming up with a specific roadmap for peace
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Moreover, with such a more active role, Beijing could kill two birds with one stone for itself: Beijing could thus prevent Putin’s inglorious downfall. China does not want that, because the future of Russia as an ally and as a buffer between the West and China would then become very uncertain. China could also prevent the West from increasingly turning away from China. Beijing is now increasingly seen as a henchman and even possible arms supplier from Putin. But China’s economy is still much more dependent on its relationship with the US, Europe and Japan than it does with other parts of the world. The Chinese economy is in bad shape and cannot do without the West.
International Sanctions
In the document, Beijing again rejects international sanctions if they are not approved by the UN. “The affected countries must stop abusing international sanctions (…) against other countries,” the statement said, without explicitly pointing to the US and Europe. Beijing has been representing that position since the beginning of the war, although in practice China adheres to many sanctions. Beijing is also “against using the world economy as a tool or weapon for political ends,” the statement said.
Beijing is also proposing to allow corridors for the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones, corridors that should come under UN protection, and to facilitate the exchange of prisoners of war. China further reiterates that it is undesirable to use nuclear weapons or to make nuclear power plants the target of military attacks.