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The announcement was made known by the president on this Saturday. The trip is expected to take place in early April. China proposed 12 points for the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine. Various leaders have expressed their opinion on the guidelines proposed by Beijing.
There is still talk of the Chinese proposal for peace in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Although they have not been on the table for 72 hours, they have generated various reactions on the international stage. The most recent is the announcement by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, of his upcoming visit to Beijing.
The statements were made in the context of his visit to the Paris Agricultural Show. There he referred to the 12-point plan presented by China. Macron called on the Asian giant to “put pressure on Russia” and thus be able to “end the aggression” of the Kremlin.
It is known that, even before the rounds of economic sanctions imposed against Moscow, China is one of the main economic partners of the Eurasian nation. Therefore, a firm position on the part of the Xi Jinping government could place the Russian military actions against the wall.
Macron is one of the few world leaders who maintains a direct line with President Vladimir Putin and has promoted the diplomatic route for the resolution of the conflict, although he recently advocated a defeat for Russia in battle. Peace will only be possible for the French head of state if “Russia stops the aggression (…) withdraws its troops” and respects “the territorial sovereignty of the Ukrainian people.”
Emmanuel Macron further concluded that “China must help us pressure Russia never to use chemical or nuclear weapons, (an effort) it has already made, and to stop its aggression as a precondition for talks.”
How to achieve peace, according to Beijing
The official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, made knownr on February 24 a series of points in which Beijing’s position on the “political solution of the crisis in Ukraine” is expressed.
Among them are “respect for the sovereignty of all countries” as the first heading. A wink between the lines to the theme of Taiwan. China advocates the reincorporation of the “rebel island” as the mainland calls it, into the territory of the People’s Republic.
“The sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be defended effectively. All countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international community. All parties must jointly defend the basic norms that govern international relations and defend international equity and justice”, reads this point.
The “cessation of hostilities” is also in the proposal. “Conflict and war benefit no one. All parties must be rational and exercise restraint, avoid fanning the flames and escalating tensions, and prevent the crisis from deteriorating further or even spiraling out of control. All parties must support Russia and Ukraine to work in the same direction and resume direct dialogue as quickly as possible, in order to gradually de-escalate the situation and, ultimately, reach a comprehensive ceasefire,” he expresses in a way whole.
He “keep nuclear power plants safe” is another of the calls made by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, opposing “armed attacks against nuclear power plants or other peaceful nuclear facilities, and calls on all parties to comply with international law, including the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS), and resolutely prevent man-made nuclear accidents.”
Maintaining stability in industrial and supply chains is also outlined in the document. According to the statement, “all parties must seriously uphold the existing world economic system and oppose the use of the world economy as a tool or weapon for political purposes.”
The other paragraphs reflect the “abandonment of the Cold War mentality”, the “resumption of peace talks”, the resolution of the “humanitarian crisis”, the “protection of civilians and prisoners of war”, the “reduction of strategic risks”, “facilitate cereal exports”, the brake on “unilateral sanctions (…) that only create new problems” and the “promotion of post-conflict reconstruction”.
Three key reactions to China’s 12 points
“I think China has started talking about Ukraine, and I think that’s very good,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a media meeting as part of activities marking the first anniversary of the invasion. “I think we should use this in the normal sense of the word and work with China on this matter (…) Why not? Our task is to bring everyone together to isolate some ”, he pointed out.
Moscow, for its part, projection which values “the sincere aspiration of Chinese friends to make a valuable contribution to resolving the conflict in Ukraine by peaceful means. We share Beijing’s considerations.”
However, the head of the White House, Joe Biden, questioned the partiality of the document. “Putin is applauding it, so how could it be good?”
Biden’s statements were collected by the American chain ‘ABC News’. “I have not seen anything in the plan that indicates that there is something that would be beneficial to someone other than Russia, if the Chinese plan were followed,” he said, “the idea that China is going to negotiate the outcome of a war that is totally unfair to Ukraine is simply not rational,” he stressed.
With Reuters, EFE and local media
