Chinese President Xi Jinping told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday that “most countries support a reduction in tensions in Ukraine,” according to a statement released today by the Asian country’s diplomacy.
Xi stressed that “there are more and more rational and peaceful voices” and that “most countries are in favor of a reduction in tensions”.
These countries “want peace and negotiations to be promoted and are against adding more fuel to the fire,” Xi said during a four-and-a-half-hour meeting with Putin in Moscow, according to the statement released by the foreign ministry of China.
According to the Chinese leader, “historically, conflicts have always been resolved through dialogue and negotiation.”
Xi recalled that China issued a blueprint for peace calling for “a political solution” and opposing unilateral sanctions.
“We believe that the more difficult it is, the more space should be left for peace. The more complex the conflict, the more effort should be made not to give up dialogue,” Xi defended.
The Chinese leader also stressed that China is ready to “continue to play a constructive role in advancing a political solution to the conflict”.
In an article written by Xi and published by a Russian newspaper, the Chinese leader described his visit to Russia as a “visit of friendship, cooperation and peace”.
After the visit to Moscow, the Chinese president is expected to speak by phone with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
Xi’s trip follows the surprise announcement of the restoration of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia after meeting in Beijing, in a diplomatic victory for China.
China’s strongest leader in recent decades has sought to advance the image of a world statesman, calling for China to play a “central role” in the governance of international affairs, in line with the country’s economic and military rise.
Specifically, Xi proposed the Global Security Initiative, which aims to build a “balanced, effective and sustainable global and regional security architecture” by “unleashing Western geopolitical security theories.”
China sees its partnership with Russia as fundamental to opposing the liberal democratic order, at a time when its relationship with the United States is also going through a period of great tension, characterized by disputes over trade and technology or disputes over rights issues. the status of Hong Kong or Taiwan, and the sovereignty of the South and East China Seas.
In a peace plan proposed at the end of February, Beijing stressed the importance of “respecting the sovereignty of all countries”, referring to Ukraine, but also called for an end to the “Cold War mentality”, implicitly criticizing the NATO expansion. China also called for an end to Western sanctions against Russia.
China was among the countries that abstained from voting on a resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of the UN assembly.
Putin and Xi have met about 40 times since the Chinese leader came to power in 2012.
Source: DN
