China a true peacemaker aimed at ending Ukraine crisis

Right from the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, China has been calling for dialogue to resolve the disputes between the two countries. Maintaining its neutrality, Beijing has been playing a constructive role by urging Moscow and Kyiv to agree to a cease-fire and hold peaceful talks to end the conflict and thus ease the socioeconomic problems the conflict has created for not only the two sides but also many countries, especially developing countries.

The Chinese government has intensified its shuttle diplomacy to prevent the Ukraine crisis from expanding into a much bigger conflict. In February, a month before President Xi Jinping visited Russia, China released a document titled "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis" aimed at promoting a peaceful settlement of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The document says China was willing to play a positive role in finding a political and diplomatic settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

On April 26, Xi held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. And the Chinese government said it would send a special representative to Ukraine and other countries to conduct in-depth communication with all parties in a bid to find a political resolution to the Ukraine crisis.

And on May 26, Li Hui, the Chinese government's special representative on Eurasian affairs, visited Moscow, followed by visits to Ukraine, Poland, France, Germany and the European Union headquarters in Brussels. During the nearly two-week trip, Li met with Zelensky, and held talks with senior officials in the European capitals, expounding China's position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

China has been making concerted efforts to help resolve the Ukraine crisis, reflecting its firm belief in peaceful conflict resolution and goal to establish a just global governance system based on equality for the benefit of the whole world.

Li's main mission on the shuttle-diplomacy trip was to help reach a consensus on the peaceful settlement of the Russia-Ukraine conflict by easing the security concerns of the EU and other economies. His efforts also show how Chinese wisdom can improve global governance.

In Kyiv, thanks to his diplomatic acumen, Li secured a reliable channel of diplomatic communication aimed at stopping the ongoing deaths and destruction. But despite some EU member states' wish to see a peaceful resolution for the crisis, the United States' imperialistic outlook and desperate attempts to maintain its global hegemony have become the main stumbling block to peace in Europe.

The 12-point document to help end the Ukraine crisis China issued in February also stressed the importance of respecting the sovereignty of all countries, and keeping nuclear power plants safe. With the Russia-Ukraine conflict entering the 16th month, the only way to end it is through peaceful talks.

Two convergent forces are at work in today's world — one led by the US and its allies which disturbs socio-political harmony and trigger conflicts, and the other led by China which is always ready to help settle disputes using diplomacy, dialogue and development means.

But, unfortunately, the US and NATO have been trying to prolong the conflict to promote their own vested interests in the Black Sea and beyond, by violating international norms and using coercive diplomacy against Ukraine. The aim of the US is to weaken Russia so it can dictate terms to the rest of the world and check China's peaceful rise.

Yet China will continue to make efforts to help end the Ukraine crisis through diplomatic means. China has been open, transparent and inclusive in its approach to the Ukraine crisis. That's why the rest of the world, with the exception of the US-led West, has welcomed its efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis. And hopefully, it will succeed in its efforts to end the Ukraine crisis that has already claimed thousands of lives and caused massive destruction.

The author is the executive director of the Center for South and International Studies, Islamabad.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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