Why does China want to mediate the Russia-Ukraine conflict?
On April 26, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that Beijing would send a special envoy to Ukraine to discuss a possible "political solution" to the current conflict.
Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Photo: Xinhua News Agency)
Beijing has long avoided getting involved in other countries' conflicts, but pretended to be trying to assert itself as a global peacemaker after holding talks between Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia. Iran in March, helping the two countries restore diplomatic relations after 7 years of interruption.
Chinese President Xi Jinping told Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky in a phone call that a Chinese envoy, who served as ambassador to Russia, would probe Ukraine and other countries to discuss a major solution. government, information of the Chinese Government said.
China is a big country that still maintains friendly relations with Russia, and also has economic weight as the largest customer of Russian oil and gas, after the US and its allies swept away almost completely relations with Russia. .
Viewing Moscow as an opponent to counter US dominance in global affairs, Beijing does not criticize Russia in the current conflict and is one of five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to cheat. went on diplomatic attacks on Moscow.
Mr. Zelensky had previously affirmed his commitment to China to play a mediator role.
According to observers, China is seeking a greater role in global diplomacy, as part of an effort to restore the place it deserves in the world and build an international order. Favorable to Beijing's interests.
Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that Beijing was willing to participate in supporting the peace arbitration talks.
According to observers, the April 26 announcement warned of the dangers of nuclear war, suggesting that Beijing may also desire reconciliation when it sees the risk of conflict evolving in a more destructive direction.
Mediating between Ukraine and Russia will help increase China's profile in Eastern Europe, where Beijing has long tried to build good relations with other governments.
However, political science professor Kimberly Marten at Columbia University in New York, doubts China's ability to succeed in the game of reconciliation.
“I find it hard to believe that China can play a role in making peace,” she said, noting that Beijing is “so close to Moscow.”
Relations with Ukraine
China was Ukraine's largest trading partner before the conflict broke out, although much smaller than the size of Sino-Russian trade.
In 2021, Ukraine announced a plan to allow Chinese companies to build commercial infrastructure.
President Zelensky's government has adopted a more ambivalent attitude toward Beijing after seeing China's response to the conflict, but the two sides remain friendly.
“Before the conflict, China was Ukraine's number one trading partner. I believe today's exchange will create a strong impetus for the restoration, preservation and development of this dynamic at all levels," the official Ukrainian statement on the exchange said.
This month, Qin insisted that China would not supply arms to either side, a pledge that would benefit Ukraine as it receives tanks, missiles and other weapons from the US and the Coalition. Europe.
However, Chinese Ambassador to France Lo Shaye has just angered Europe by suggesting that the former Soviet republics, which include Ukraine, cannot be sovereign states.
Beijing then tries to destroy each country one by one the books belonging to the former Soviet Union, that China respects their sovereignty and Ambassador Lo's statement is just a personal opinion, not an official one.
Elizabeth Wishnick, a research fellow at the East Asia Institute at Colombia University, told the AP: "I am disgusted that it must have been Xi's phone call arranged so quickly to blur the impact of the Chinese ambassador's remarks. Country".
@duyvietanh (st)