China calls for 'strategic consensus' with EU on Ukraine ceasefire, peace talks
China's top diplomat Wang Yi called on the European Union to reach a "strategic consensus" with Beijing on political settlement of the Ukraine war in talks with his French counterpart on Thursday.
The phone call, requested by French President Emmanuel Macron's diplomatic adviser Emmanuel Bonne, followed the Chinese leader's trip to Russia this week. Wang told Bonne during the call that President Xi Jinping's Moscow visit was for "peace" and "cooperation", according to the Chinese foreign ministry readout.
Wang also reiterated that political settlement of the Ukraine conflict was the "right direction" and urged EU countries to "play their due role".
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"On the Ukraine issue, China continues to uphold its basic position of promoting peace and talks," Wang said.
"China expects France and other European countries to also play their due role in this regard. Ceasefire, resumption of peace talks and political settlement of the crisis should become the strategic consensus between China and the EU."
French President Emmanuel Macron (left) and his diplomatic adviser Emmanuel Bonne attend an online meeting with G7 leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris on Friday. Photo: Reuters alt=French President Emmanuel Macron (left) and his diplomatic adviser Emmanuel Bonne attend an online meeting with G7 leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris on Friday. Photo: Reuters>
Bonne told Wang that France supported resolving the conflict through political negotiations and was willing to work with China to look for a "peaceful solution", according to the Chinese readout.
"[We] appreciate China's active role in promoting peace and talks. On the Ukraine issue, France does not support bloc confrontations," he was quoted as saying.
Xi's meetings with Putin this week have been closely scrutinised by EU countries as Beijing and Moscow reaffirmed their close ties, while the West remains sceptical about China's peace plan for Ukraine.
Beijing released the 12-point proposal in February, calling for political settlement of the conflict through peaceful dialogue.
Documents released after the Xi-Putin talks this week do not indicate any new developments beyond the Chinese plan, which has been largely dismissed by the West because it fails to condemn the Russian invasion or call for a full withdrawal of troops from Ukraine.
Thursday's phone call came as EU leaders are likely to put more pressure on China to use its sway with Russia to end the war following Xi's trip.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is expected to visit China next week, while Macron has said he would visit in early April. Neither trip has been confirmed by Beijing.
On Thursday, Macron told EU leaders in a private session at a European Council summit in Brussels that the bloc must exert "maximum effort to ensure China is not supporting Russia's efforts to wage war", a diplomat privy to the talks told the Post.
EU leaders again demanded Russia's immediate withdrawal from Ukraine. They also approved a proposal to send Ukraine 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition within the next 12 months, while also warning other countries not to arm Russia, following claims by the US and Nato that China was considering doing so.
Beijing has repeatedly denied the accusation and insists it is a neutral party in the conflict. Xi and Putin on Tuesday both condemned bloc confrontation, accusing the US and Nato of hindering the peace process for Ukraine.
Many EU countries have questioned China's claim to neutrality. Xi has not spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky since Russia's invasion, though there have been reports the pair would speak by phone after Xi's Moscow trip. Zelensky on Tuesday said he was waiting for confirmation from Beijing about his request for dialogue.
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2023 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
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