China has begun urging its "peace proposal" with Ukraine, which will benefit Beijing and Russia, to be backed by world leaders, and has invited the Spanish prime minister to visit.
Prime ministerPedro Sánchezwill meet with the President of ChinaXi Jinpingin Beijing next week to discuss the Asian country's peace plan for Ukraine, the Spanish government announced on Thursday.
Sánchez will become only the second head of state from a European country, after the foreign minister, to visit China since the start of the Covid 19 pandemic three years agoOlaf ScholzThe visit in November 2022.
He will attend the Boao Forum for Asia in China's Hainan Province on March 30 before traveling to Beijing to meet Xi, the Spanish government said in a statement.
"China can play a very important role in mediating between Russia and Ukraine and this will certainly be one of the issues that Sánchez will discuss with Xi," Spanish Parliamentary Affairs Minister Félix Bolaños told the public service TV channel TVE.
"It is important that this conflict ends and that Russia recognizes that this is absolutely unjustified aggression and therefore everything returns to the situation that existed before the Russian invasion," he added.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, November 28, 2018.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (right) shakes hands with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (left) during a diplomatic meeting between Belgium and Spain in Brussels March 23, 2023.
Like the EU, Spain has pledged its unconditional support to Ukraine and will soon send up to 10 Leopard tanks to Kiev.
On February 24, China called for a ceasefire and peace talks in Ukraine to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion.
China presented a 12-point position paper on the war, calling for dialogue and respect for all countries' territorial sovereignty.
In the 12-point plan, Beijing called for an end to western sanctions, talks that would likely see Ukraine cede territories, a NATO withdrawal from its eastern borders and reconstruction efforts that should benefit Chinese contractors.
"Conflict and war are of no use to anyone," the newspaper warned, saying everyone involved must "keep common sense and use moderation."
WHAT IS CHINA'S 12-POINT WEAPON LEVEL PROPOSAL?
1.Respect for the sovereignty of all countries.
Generally recognized international law, including the aims and principles of the United Nations Charter, must be strictly observed. The sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be effectively defended. All countries, large or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international community. All parties must work together to uphold the basic norms of international relations and international fairness and justice. The equal and uniform application of international law must be promoted and double standards rejected.
2. Get out of the Cold War mentality.
One country's security should not be sought at the expense of others. The security of a region must not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs. The legitimate interests and security concerns of all countries must be taken seriously and addressed appropriately. There is no simple solution to a complex problem. All parties should contribute to forging a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture in accordance with the common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security vision and taking into account the long-term peace and stability of the world. All parties must resist seeking their own security at the expense of the security of others, avoid bloc confrontations, and work together for peace and stability on the Eurasian continent.
3. Cessation of hostilities.
Conflict and war benefit no one. All parties must use common sense and restraint, avoid fanning the flames and escalating tensions, and preventing the crisis from worsening or even spiraling out of control. All parties should support Russia and Ukraine to work in the same direction and resume direct dialogue as soon as possible in order to gradually de-escalate the situation and finally achieve a comprehensive ceasefire.
4. Resumption of peace talks.
Dialogue and negotiations are the only viable solution to the crisis in Ukraine. All efforts leading to a peaceful solution to the crisis must be encouraged and supported. The international community must continue to advocate for the right approach to promote peace negotiations, help the warring parties open the door to a political solution as soon as possible, and create conditions and platforms for negotiations to resume. China will continue to play a constructive role in this regard.
5. Resolution of the humanitarian crisis.
All measures to alleviate the humanitarian crisis must be encouraged and supported. Humanitarian operations must follow the principles of neutrality and impartiality, and humanitarian issues must not be politicized. The security of civilians must be effectively protected and humanitarian corridors established for the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones. Efforts must be made to increase humanitarian assistance in relevant areas, improve humanitarian conditions and allow immediate, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to prevent a major humanitarian crisis. The United Nations must be supported in playing a coordinating role in channeling humanitarian aid to conflict zones.
6. Protection of civilians and prisoners of war (POW).
Parties to a conflict must strictly comply with international humanitarian law, avoid attacks on civilians or civilian facilities, protect women, children and other victims of conflict, and respect the fundamental rights of prisoners of war. China supports the exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine and calls on all parties to create more favorable conditions for this.
7. Keep nuclear power plants safe.
China opposes armed attacks on nuclear power plants or other peaceful nuclear facilities and urges all parties to comply with international law, including the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS), and resolutely prevent man-made nuclear accidents. China supports the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in playing a constructive role in promoting the security of peaceful nuclear facilities.
8. Strategic Risk Mitigation.
Nuclear weapons must not be used and nuclear wars must not be waged. The threat or use of nuclear weapons must be resisted. Nuclear proliferation must be prevented and a nuclear crisis avoided. China opposes the research, development and use of chemical and biological weapons by any country under any circumstances.
9. Facilitate grain exports.
All parties should fully and effectively implement the Black Sea Grains Initiative signed by Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations in a balanced manner, and support the United Nations to play an important role in this regard. China's proposed global food security cooperation initiative offers a viable solution to the global food crisis.
10. Stop unilateral sanctions.
Unilateral sanctions and maximum pressure do not solve the problem; They only create new problems. China opposes unilateral sanctions not approved by the UN Security Council. Relevant countries should stop abusing unilateral sanctions and "long-armed jurisdiction" against other countries to do their part to defuse the crisis in Ukraine and create conditions for developing countries to grow their economies and improve their lives.
11. Keep industrial and supply chains stable.
All parties must seriously defend the existing world economic system and oppose the use of the world economy as an instrument or weapon for political ends. Collective efforts are needed to mitigate the spillover effects of the crisis and prevent it from disrupting international cooperation on energy, finance, trade and food transport and undermining global economic recovery.
12. Promotion of post-conflict reconstruction.
The international community must take steps to support post-conflict reconstruction in conflict-affected areas. China stands ready to help and play a constructive role in these efforts.
Those:Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
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Beijing's foreign ministry urged all parties to "avoid fanning the flames and escalating tensions" in hopes of preventing the crisis from "worsening further or spiraling out of control."
Xi paid a high-profile visit to Moscow earlier this week, which was taken as a strong show of support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian president praised Beijing's 12-point position paper on the conflict, but the United States and the European Union remain skeptical of the Chinese proposal.
"Obviously we want a ceasefire to come about as soon as possible, but (...) it will take a lot of work from a diplomatic point of view," Bolaños said.
Sánchez's visit comes as NATO member Spain prepares to take over the six-monthly rotating presidency of the European Union (EU) in July.
Sanchez and Xi last had bilateral talks in November 2022 during the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.
Xi told Putin "change is coming" as he left Moscow for his state visit after two days of talks.
There's a change coming that hasn't happened in 100 years. And we are driving this change together," Xi Putin said through his interpreter.
In February 2022, the couple announced that they had formed a "boundless" friendship, and Putin invited Xi to visit the Russian capital.
They have since spoken publicly about strengthening their "special relationship," with Moscow and Beijing dismissing what they describe as US attempts to create a Washington-controlled "unipolar world."
After talks with Xi in the Kremlin on Tuesday, Putin said the Chinese proposals could serve as a basis for a peace deal in Ukraine, but the West and Kiev are not ready.
Putin accused Western powers of fighting "to the last Ukrainian" after talks with Xi in the Kremlin, which Putin said showed growing trade, energy and political ties between China and Russia.
Xi described his talks with Putin as "frank and friendly", reiterated China's "neutral stance" on Ukraine and called for dialogue.
"We believe that many of the provisions of the peace plan proposed by China are in line with Russian approaches and can be taken as a basis for a peaceful solution if they are willing in the West and in Kiev. So far, however, we have seen no such willingness on their part,” Putin said.
The United States spurned China's 12-point document amid Beijing's refusal to condemn Russia over Ukraine, saying a ceasefire would now secure Russian territorial gains and give Putin's army more time to regroup.
Kyiv welcomed China's diplomatic engagement but said Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine and stressed the importance of Ukraine's territorial integrity.
At the end of the two-day talks on Tuesday, Xi and his Russian counterpart stressed that "responsible dialogue" is the best way to steadily resolve the crisis in Ukraine, Chinese state media reported.
According to Chinese state media, the Russian side reiterated its commitment to resume peace talks as soon as possible.
The two sides said that in order to resolve the crisis in Ukraine, all countries' "legitimate security concerns" must be respected and a confrontation between the sides avoided, Chinese state media reported.
Russian state news agencies reported Putin and Xi held informal talks for nearly four and a half hours on Monday.
In a televised address, Putin told Xi that he respected China's proposals to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. He confessed to being "a little jealous" of "China's very effective system for developing the economy and strengthening the state".
Xi praised Putin and predicted that Russians would re-elect him next year.
Moscow has been publicizing plans for a Xi visit for months. But the moment has given new meaning to the Chinese leader's personal support after the International Criminal Court last week issued an arrest warrant charging Putin with war crimes for deporting children from Ukraine.
Western leaders have questioned the true motive behind China's 12-point peace plan, as Beijing has stood shoulder to shoulder with Russia and repeated the Kremlin's arguments about NATO expansionism.
China has said it wants to prevent the crisis from spiraling out of control, saying dialogue and negotiations are the only viable ways to resolve the conflict, according to a position paper released in February.
When China presented its "peace" proposal on February 24, it was immediately met with skepticism in the West and in Ukraine.
Germany's president said he had "doubts" about China's willingness to mediate in the conflict, while NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Beijing lacked credibility.
Stoltenberg said there were signs that China wanted to supply arms and ammunition to Moscow.
"China doesn't have much credibility because it wasn't able to condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine," Stoltenberg told reporters in Tallinn, adding that Beijing had signed an agreement with Putin just days before the invasion.
Stoltenberg also said that while there is no evidence so far that China has supplied arms to Russia, there are indications that it could happen. US intelligence has also expressed the same concerns that China is planning to supply Moscow with arms and ammunition, which Beijing denies.
"We have not seen the actual delivery of lethal aid, but what we have seen are signs and indications that China may be planning and considering providing military assistance to Russia," Stoltenberg said. "China shouldn't do that."
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said China does not have a peace plan, just a set of principles.
"You have to see them in a certain context, and that's the context in which China has already taken sides, for example by signing an open-ended friendship treaty just before the invasion," he said.
"Of course, let's look at the principles, but let's look at this in the context of China's partisanship," he added.
After the document was released, a representative of the Embassy of Ukraine in China said: "If it is neutral, China should talk to both sides... And now we see that the Chinese side talks mainly to Russia, but not to Ukraine".
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier questioned China's willingness to mediate and said: "Every constructive suggestion that brings us closer to a just peace is very welcome."
"It is still doubtful that the world power China wants to play such a constructive role."
If China wants to play a constructive role, "it doesn't just have to talk to Moscow, but also to Kiev," said Steinmeier.
China should also “join the overwhelming majority of states and work for peace under the aegis of the United Nations,” Steinmeier added.
On February 23, Beijing abstained in a non-binding UN vote to demand that Russia immediately and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine.
It is one of 16 countries that voted against or abstained on nearly all five previous resolutions on Ukraine.
Written by Ukraine in consultation with allies, the resolution passed by 141 votes to 7, with 32 abstentions, sending a strong message on the eve of the invasion's first anniversary that it is leaving Russia seemingly more isolated than ever.
Jorge Toledo, European Union Ambassador to China, said Beijing has a "special responsibility" to uphold the United Nations' goals and values, particularly in relation to war and peace.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose for a photo during an official welcoming ceremony.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez arrives for the EU summit at EU headquarters in Brussels on March 23, 2023.
"Whether that's compatible with neutrality I don't know, it depends on what neutrality means," he added.
China's plan also included measures to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities, the establishment of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians and measures to secure grain exports after disruptions caused global commodity prices to spike.
Conflict and war benefit no one. All parties should use common sense and exercise restraint, avoid fanning flames and escalating tensions, and prevent the crisis from worsening or even spiraling out of control," China's statement said.
Ukraine has said that victory in the conflict would mean driving all Russian forces from its territory, including areas occupied by Russia since 2014. Meanwhile, NATO will not withdraw its forces from its eastern borders while Russia poses a threat.
On February 24, Putin set goals for the second year of the invasion and, after a series of speeches leading up to the anniversary, announced plans to deploy the new multi-warhead Sarmat ICBMs.
He said, "Nuclear weapons must not be used and nuclear war cannot be fought," the statement said. "We oppose the development [and] use of biological and chemical weapons by any country under any circumstances."
Foreign Minister Wang Yi reiterated the strength of these ties when he met Putin during a visit to Moscow in February.
Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a formal welcoming ceremony for Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Kremlin's St. George Hall in Moscow, Russia, March 21, 2023.
The peace proposal was mainly based on longstanding Chinese positions, including reference to the need to "effectively safeguard the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries".
He also called for an end to the "Cold War mentality," his standard term for what he sees as US hegemony and meddling with other countries.
"The security of one country must not be at the expense of the security of other countries, and regional security cannot be guaranteed by strengthening or even expanding military blocs," the proposal says.
"The legitimate interests and security concerns of all countries must be taken seriously and given due consideration."
While China has not openly criticized Moscow, it has said conflict is "not something I want to see."
The nation has repeatedly stated that any use of nuclear weapons is totally unacceptable, implicitly dismissing Putin's statement that Russia will use "all available means" to protect its territory.
"There are no winners in wars of conflict," the proposal reads.
"All parties must maintain sanity and restraint ... support Russia and Ukraine to meet, resume direct dialogue as soon as possible, gradually advance the de-escalation and détente of the situation, and finally achieve a cease and desist." "wide fire," he said. .