China’s unremitting peace efforts on political settlement of Ukraine crisis show its role as responsible major country
Commentary
BEIJING – Terminating the conflict and making peace have become the common expectations of the international community as the negative effects of the escalating crisis in Ukraine continue to affect the rest of the world after the conflict broke out a year ago.
Recently, the Chinese government released a paper stating China’s position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, in which it comprehensively and systematically explains its basic position and propositions.
The comprehensive and feasible plan, which is in line with the common aspirations of the international community and the fundamental long-term interests of the world, demonstrates China’s role as a responsible major country to defend world peace.
In the paper, China put forward a 12-point proposal to end the conflict in Ukraine by addressing both the symptoms and root causes of the crisis, and reiterated the necessity to end the conflict through dialogue and negotiation.
To summarize, China’s paper centers around the following 12 aspects: respecting the sovereignty of all countries, abandoning the Cold War mentality, ceasing hostilities, resuming peace talks, resolving the humanitarian crisis, protecting civilians and prisoners of war, keeping nuclear power plants safe, reducing strategic risks, facilitating grain exports, stopping unilateral sanctions, keeping industrial and supply chains stable, and promoting post-conflict reconstruction.
The paper not only reiterates China’s consistent proposition, but also incorporates the rational views of the international community. It clarifies the major principles and preconditions, and marks a clear path out of the crisis, which has been widely recognized globally.
The peace proposal has been welcomed by many countries of the international community. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, called the position paper “an important contribution.”
Aiming for an end to the conflict, China’s stance is in line with the universal expectations of peace-loving people around the world, who believe that a political settlement of the dispute is in the common interests of Russia, Ukraine and the international community.
To the world’s dismay, the crisis has escalated during the past year.
To make matters worse, whenever there was a peace talk, some external forces would interfere by creating rumors, sowing discord, and discrediting the mediators. They do not want the peace talks to succeed, nor do they want the conflict to cease.
For a “bigger strategic goal,” they instigated camp confrontation and continued to fan the flames. They didn’t care about the lives of the Ukrainian people and were indifferent to the collateral damage to other countries and regions.
To resolve the crisis, China expressed the broad public opinion – end the conflict – which has been suppressed by hegemony for long.
Zoltan Kiszelly, director of the Center of Political Analyses at Hungary’s Szazadveg Institute, said the position paper by China on the Ukraine crisis is a very important contribution to preventing a new global Cold War era from beginning.
China’s position paper hits the pain points of the Ukraine crisis and offers important guidance for all parties to exit the security dilemma.
The Ukraine issue has a complicated history. It is not only the outbreak of long-term accumulation of European security conflicts, but also the result of Cold War thinking and bloc confrontation.
China stressed that all parties should abandon the Cold War mentality: the security of a country should not be pursued at the expense of others; the security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs; and the legitimate security interests and concerns of all countries must be taken seriously and addressed properly.
The Diplomat magazine stated on its website that disregard of the principle of “indivisible security” is one of the root causes of the crisis, and that compliance with this principle will be an important part of the solution.
China’s position paper adheres to the consistent position of promoting peace talks, providing a feasible path for a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.
Since the outbreak of the crisis, China has always adhered to the principle of “indivisible security,” upheld fairness and justice, actively promoted peace talks, and participated in humanitarian assistance.
From calling for creating space for peace and leaving room for political solutions, to proposing a five-point position on the Ukraine issue and a six-point initiative on easing the humanitarian crisis, and from putting forward the four points about what must be done, and the four things the international community must do together, to the three important thoughts, China has outlined its fundamental approach to the issue.
China’s unremitting peace efforts are obvious to all and widely recognized by the international community.
Former Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Ante Simonic said that the position paper issued by China is of great significance not only to Russia and Ukraine, but also to the international community.
Polish President Andrzej Duda emphasized that negotiations will always be a path to peace on the Ukraine issue, and China, as a great partner and a major country with great strength, cannot be ignored.
No one can win in conflicts, and there is no simple solution to a complex issue. Confrontation between major powers must be avoided.
The Ukraine crisis has sounded alarm bells: seeking security at the expense of other countries will inevitably lead to a security dilemma; building a world and regional security framework with a Cold War mentality only causes conflicts and confrontations.
As a responsible major country, China has put forward the Global Security Initiative, and issued a position paper on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.
The message is clear: China upholds justice, seeks peace, focuses on the long term, and will always stand on the side of peace, oppose hegemonism and power politics, and work with the international community to safeguard the peace and tranquility of mankind. – Xinhua
Dai Bing (center, front) chargé d’affaires of China’s permanent mission to the United Nations, addresses a high-level Security Council briefing on Ukraine at the UN headquarters in New York last month. – Xinhua
