Beijing, Feb. 24, (dpa/GNA) - Top EU and NATO officials and China observers reacted with scepticism on Friday to Beijing’s much-anticipated position paper on the Russian-Ukraine war, in which it called for a ceasefire between the two parties.
Conflict and war “benefit no one,” China said in the 12-point paper, timed to coincide with the one year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
“All parties must stay rational and exercise restraint, avoid fanning the flames and aggravating tensions, and prevent the crisis from deteriorating further or even spiralling out of control,” the document read.
But diplomats and experts reacted with scepticism and disappointment, since the 12-point document did not reveal any new initiatives. It was also pointed out that China is not neutral and has still not condemned Russia’s invasion to this day.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin refused to answer a journalist’s questions as to why China has not called on Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine. He said China could play “a constructive role,” but did not hold out the prospect that Beijing would mediate the conflict.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reacted cautiously to China’s position paper.
Von der Leyen said in the Estonian capital Tallinn on Friday that the 12 points had to be seen against the background that China had already taken sides. China and Russia had, she said, assured each other of their close ties shortly before the war began.
Stoltenberg commented that China did not have much credibility when it came to such mediation efforts because it had not yet formally condemned the Russian invasion.
Experts saw the paper more as an attempt by China to repair its tattered image in the world, stemming from its support for Russia.
There is nothing new in the paper, said China expert Manoj Kewalramani of the US think tank Center for Strategic International Studies (CSIS). The 12-points are part of well-known Chinese positions.
China sees the conflict “as a product of what it calls a Cold War mentality and an outdated European security architecture,” he said. There also seems to be very little interest in Beijing to get involved in any kind of peace process.
“The document suggests that Beijing would rather peace talks be about a new European security architecture than about the war itself,” he added.
The 12-point paper called for an immediate resumption of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. It also said nuclear power plants must be kept safe and threat or use of nuclear weapons should be opposed.
“Nuclear proliferation must be prevented and nuclear crisis avoided. China opposes the research, development and use of chemical and biological weapons by any country under any circumstances.”
China supported the International Atomic Energy Agency in playing a constructive role in promoting the safety and security of peaceful nuclear facilities, it said.
The paper stated that China “opposes unilateral sanctions unauthorized” by the UN Security Council.
“Unilateral sanctions and maximum pressure cannot solve the issue; they only create new problems,” the paper stated.
Many countries have slapped sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine, targeting Russia’s economy, financial system, energy exports, central bank as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin and his inner circle.
China is considered a close ally of Russia. At the same time, Beijing has so far largely complied with the international sanctions imposed on Russia to avoid becoming a target of punitive measures itself.
GNA