First details about China’s position on war in Ukraine revealed by Ukrainian official
Xi Jinping (Photo:Bandar Algaloud / Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court / Handout via REUTERS)
The position of China regarding the situation in Ukraine combines parts of the peace formula proposed by Kyiv and points that reflect Beijing’s friendship with Moscow, a Ukrainian senior government official who wished to remain anonymous has told NV.
The official document with Beijing’s position on the war in Ukraine, which will be released in the coming days, includes several points from the peace formula of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the official said.
NV’s source, a high-ranking official in the Ukrainian government, referred to intelligence data and diplomatic channels. The official did not specify how many such Ukrainian points are included in the Chinese position, or what they are exactly.
Zelesnkyy presented the Ukrainian ten-point peace formula at the G20 summit in November. It is based on the restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the withdrawal of Russian troops, the release of all prisoners, a tribunal for those guilty of aggression, and security guarantees for Ukraine.
However, given Beijing’s close relations with Moscow, part of its policy position may not be to the liking of Ukraine, adds NV’s source. And although China consistently defends the position of full sovereignty of Ukraine, the country’s leadership is unlikely to directly indicate to Russia the need to remove its troops beyond Ukraine’s 1991 borders.
Furthermore, according to Bloomberg, China’s policy paper on Russia’s war against Ukraine may contain calls for an end to the supply of weapons to Ukrainian defenders.
The head of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Wang Yi, first announced China’s peace initiative “for the political settlement of the crisis in Ukraine” during his speech at the Munich Security Conference.
Later, China’s ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun, clarified that it was not a “peace plan” but a “position document” regarding Ukraine. Beijing promised to make this document public by the end of February.
We’re bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us
with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
