China published a new position paper outlining its stance on the Ukraine conflict on Friday, marking the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
The 12-point document largely reiterated Beijing’s position on the conflict, while portraying China as a neutral party and calling for both sides to participate in peace negotiations.
But Beijing’s claims of neutrality have been questioned by the United States and other Ukrainian allies, with Russia and China describing their bilateral ties as “unrestricted” just weeks before the invasion.
Recent accusations from Western countries that China considers Russian weapons have been dismissed as “false information” by Beijing.
Here are some key points from China’s new position paper:
– Respect for sovereignty –
The first point of the document is that “the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be effectively upheld”.
But China has consistently refused to elaborate on the specifics of the Ukraine war, which was triggered when Moscow’s forces attacked its neighbor.
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US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said his first reaction to the paper was that “it can stop at one point”.
“Ukraine did not attack Russia. NATO did not attack Russia. The United States did not attack Russia,” he said.
– Negotiation –
Beijing called on Russia and Ukraine to resume peace talks, saying that “dialogue and negotiations are a viable solution”.
“The international community must remain committed to the right approach to promote talks for peace, help the parties to the conflict to open the door to a political settlement as soon as possible, and create the conditions and platform to continue negotiations,” the paper read.
– No nuclear war –
The paper discourages the threat and use of atomic weapons, stating that “nuclear proliferation must be prevented and a nuclear crisis avoided”.
The comments came after President Vladimir Putin’s declaration on Tuesday that Russia was withdrawing from the New START treaty, the remaining nuclear weapons pact between Moscow and Washington.
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The paper states that China also “opposes the research, development and use of chemical and biological weapons by any country under any circumstances”.
He added that both sides must “comply with international humanitarian law, (and) refrain from attacking civilians or civilian facilities”.
– Leave the ‘Cold War mentality’ behind –
The position paper said that all sides must “abandon the Cold War mentality”, a consistent cry of Chinese diplomacy.
In its criticism of NATO, the newspaper stressed that “regional security should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs”, and that “the legitimate security interests and concerns of all countries should be taken seriously”.
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China’s foreign ministry has often criticized Washington and its allies for supplying weapons and equipment to Ukraine, accusing them of returning to Cold War-era proxy conflicts.
The position paper also criticized the unilateral sanctions imposed on Russia by the Western powers, arguing that they “cannot solve the problem; they only create new problems”.
– Limit economic impact –
Some points are concerned with protecting the global economy from the overwhelming impact of war.
China called on all parties to uphold the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which would allow uninterrupted shipments of essential goods to ease the ongoing global food crisis.
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Another point calls for “maintaining stable industrial and supply chains”, and calls on all parties to “resist using the world economy as a tool or weapon for political purposes”.
– International reaction
The position paper has been met with skepticism from Ukraine and its allies.
Speaking after the newspaper’s release, a representative of the Ukrainian embassy in China said: “If it is neutral, then China should talk to both sides… And now, we see that the Chinese side usually talks with Russia but not with Ukraine.”
Jorge Toledo, the EU’s ambassador to China, said Beijing has a “special responsibility” to uphold the goals and values of the United Nations, especially in times of war and peace.
“Whether this is compatible with neutrality, I’m not sure, depends on what neutrality means,” he said.