China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis

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Publication Date 24/02/2023
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Summary:

Position document published by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 February 2023 setting out its proposal for a peaceful resolution to the war between Ukraine and Russia.

Further information:

On 24 February 2023 - the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) revealed a twelve-point document entitled China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis. In the document, the Government proposes to: respect the sovereignty and integrity of all states; recognise the doctrine of indivisible security and reject the military bloc mentality; cease the hostilities and avoid fanning the conflict; resume peace talks; resolve the humanitarian crisis; protect civilians and prisoners of war (POWs); keep the nuclear power plants safe; refrain from using nuclear weapons; facilitate grain exports; stop imposing unilateral sanctions; keep industrial and supply chains stable; promote post-conflict reconstruction.

In response to this proposal, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted his country's own proposal to resolve the conflict, in the form of a ten-point peace formula which he argued should form the basis for negotiations. Even so, the Chinese initiative was seen positively by Mr Zelensky, who expressed his readiness to hold a meeting with the Chinese leadership to discuss these matters. Elsewhere across Western countries, the proposal was not particularly well received by political stakeholders.

Source Link Link to Main Source https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/202302/t20230224_11030713.html
Related Links
News
RFI News, 16/02/2023: France and China have 'same objective' on peace in Ukraine https://www.rfi.fr/en/international/20230216-france-and-china-have-same-objective-on-peace-in-ukraine
EurActiv, 18/02/2023: China plans to present proposal for Ukraine-Russia peace talks https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-china/news/china-plans-to-present-proposal-for-ukraine-russia-peace-talks/
Bloomberg, 20/02/2023: China Looks to Show World It Can Broker Russia-Ukraine Peace https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-20/china-looks-to-convince-world-it-can-broker-russia-ukraine-peace
CNN News, 23/02/2023: China calls for Russia-Ukraine ceasefire as claims to neutrality questioned https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/23/china/china-position-political-settlement-ukraine-intl-hnk
The Japan Times, 24/02/2023: China’s peace proposal for Ukraine war light on details https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/02/24/world/china-ukraine-war-peace-proposal/
Politico, 24/02/2023: U.S. dismisses China’s Ukraine peace proposal as an attempt to distract https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/24/united-states-china-ukraine-00084384
The Guardian, 24/02/2023: Western leaders give cool response to China’s plan for Ukraine peace talks https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/24/china-calls-for-russia-ukraine-war-peace-talks
Deutsche Welle, 24/02/2023: China's plan for peace in Ukraine thin on solutions https://p.dw.com/p/4NvQT
Le Monde, 24/02/2023: Ukraine sees some value in Chinese peace plan https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/02/24/ukraine-sees-some-value-in-chinese-peace-plan_6017181_4.html
Reuters, 25/02/2023: Ukraine sees some merit in Chinese peace plan https://www.reuters.com/world/china-wants-prevent-ukraine-crisis-getting-out-control-2023-02-24/
Euronews, 25/02/2023: Ukraine War: Zelenskyy open to meeting Xi Jinping after China proposes peace plan https://www.euronews.com/2023/02/25/ukraine-war-zelenskyy-open-to-meeting-xi-jinping-after-china-proposes-peace-plan
BBC News, 25/02/2023: Ukraine war: Zelensky wants Xi Jinping meeting following China's peace plan https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64762219
RFE/RL, 26/02/2023: Kazakhstan Says China's Peace Plan For Ukraine 'Worthy Of Support' https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-chinese-peace-plan-kazakhtstan-support/32288725.html
Politico, 27/02/2023: Orbán backs China’s Ukraine peace plan https://www.politico.eu/article/viktor-orban-hungary-ukraine-china-peace-plan-russia-invasion/

Commentary and Analysis
The Spectator: Coffee House, 20/02/2023: China is playing the long game over peace in Ukraine https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/china-is-playing-the-long-game-over-peace-in-ukraine/
Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW): Analyses, 24/02/2023: China’s diplomatic game over the ‘peace plan’ https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2023-02-24/chinas-diplomatic-game-over-peace-plan
EurActiv, 24/02/2023: Key takeaways from China’s Ukraine position paper https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-china/news/key-takeaways-from-chinas-ukraine-position-paper/
El País, 24/02/2023: What is China’s peace proposal for the war in Ukraine? https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-02-24/what-is-chinas-peace-proposal-for-the-war-in-ukraine.html
The Conversation, 24/02/2023: Ukraine: Beijing’s peace initiative offers glimpse at how China plans to win the war https://theconversation.com/ukraine-beijings-peace-initiative-offers-glimpse-at-how-china-plans-to-win-the-war-200300
Geneva Graduate Institute: News, 27/02/2023: How viable is a Chinese peace plan for the war in Ukraine? https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/index.php/communications/news/how-viable-chinese-peace-plan-war-ukraine
European Council on Foreign Affairs (ECFR): Commentary, 28/02/2023: Brothers (not yet) in arms: China-Russia relations a year into the war in Ukraine https://ecfr.eu/article/brothers-not-yet-in-arms-china-russia-relations-a-year-into-the-war-in-ukraine/
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Carnegie Politika, 01/03/2023: Inside China’s Peace Plan for Ukraine https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/89172
United States Institute of Peace (USIP): Analysis and Commentary, 02/03/2023: What China's 'Peace Plan' Reveals about its Stance on Russia's War on Ukraine https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/03/what-chinas-peace-plan-reveals-about-its-stance-russias-war-ukraine
Foreign Policy: Analysis, 06/03/2023: China’s Ukraine Peace Plan Is Actually About Taiwan https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/03/06/china-russia-war-taiwan-ukraine-peace-plan-xi-putin/
South China Morning Post: Opinion, 07/03/2023: As Ukraine war drags on, why not give China’s peace plan a chance? https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3212270/ukraine-war-drags-why-not-give-chinas-peace-plan-chance

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