The Chinese leadership chose the day that marks one year since the start of the war in Ukraine to outline their positions on how there can be a political solution and peace.
This is the most important initiative it has taken since the start of a war that has forced it to maintain the critical balance between maintaining cooperation and essentially an alliance with Russia, while avoiding both direct involvement and the activation of any sanctions against and herself.
Let’s not forget that the war was primarily a Russian initiative, as it was the Russian leadership that judged that there was a real threat of violent acts on the territory of Ukraine and decided on a war, while the Chinese side, may have shared in principle the positions of Russia, however, it certainly did not consider a war that could hardly fit into its own planning as a positive development.
The logic of the Chinese proposal
The Chinese proposal is actually a text, published on February 24, 2023 on the official website of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is precisely titled “China’s position on the political solution of the Ukrainian crisis” and is formulated on the basis of twelve positions:
- Respect for the sovereignty of all countries.
- Abandoning the Cold War mentality.
- Cessation of hostilities.
- Restarting peace talks.
- Solving the humanitarian crisis.
- Protection of civilians and prisoners of war.
- Securing nuclear plants.
- Limitation of strategic risks.
- Facilitation of grain exports.
- Termination of unilateral sanctions.
- Maintaining the stability of production and supply chains.
- Promoting post-conflict reconstruction.
It is clear that the proposal combines different levels. There are points about a more general approach, a “philosophy” for the international system. Positions that China has in any case repeatedly formulated in recent years and concern the avoidance of the “Cold War” mentality and a logic of mutual respect, avoidance of tensions, promotion of international cooperation on common problems.
Added to this is the element of “respecting” each country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, which is not only relevant to the Ukrainian case, but sums up the basic Chinese position that there are limits to how the international community can intervene domestically. other states. For example, this is something that China is also pursuing for itself, both in relation to e.g. with issues such as whether China has sovereign rights e.g. in areas in the South China Sea, as much as a “non-intervention” right to the Uyghur issue.
It is certainly interesting to see how this respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity would translate in relation to the fact that in Ukraine we have a de facto border change.
Added to these general principles is the issue of limiting strategic risks, that is, preventing any use of nuclear weapons. As for the peace process itself, the Chinese proposal basically focuses on a ceasefire and peaceful dialogue to resolve the Ukrainian crisis.
All this is combined with a series of more immediate measures, concerning the protection of nuclear facilities, the safeguarding of the rights of civilians and prisoners of war, the continuation of the agreement on the export of grain from the Black Sea and overall the defense of supply chains.
The effort to establish China as a peace-loving power
Obviously, the Chinese leadership is also aware of the difficulties of implementing its proposal, although aspects of it could be implemented immediately.
Most of all, though, he wants to show that he is a force that is taking responsibility for a peace proposal, on a day when Western leaders have sent messages about the need to effectively continue hostilities. And this is what China wants to show in various directions, not only, perhaps not mainly, to the West, but primarily to all those countries that have distanced themselves from the logic of direct involvement and sanctions and that would generally agree more easily in her own sentence than e.g. to Western demands for even tougher sanctions.
This is part of a more comprehensive effort to respond to its increasing “targeting” by the US as well, by showing that it is the truly “responsible” force on the international stage.
And of course, in this way, it also sends the message that in the range of forces that do not identify with the West and given Russia’s direct involvement in the war, it is now more forward in claiming an alternative architecture for the world. Thus, he seeks to show that he does not identify with Russia, without breaking with it, but also to point out to the West that he remains a potential interlocutor.
Russia was quick to respond positively to the proposal, while Ukraine was not dismissive either. The attitude of Western governments appeared, at least at the level of initial reactions, more dismissive, especially since they had targeted China in the past, accusing it of preparing to help the Russian military effort by sending weapons systems as well as facilitating the Russia by increasing economic transactions with it.
