China’s Ukraine envoy due to start Europe trip
A Chinese envoy was preparing Monday to visit Ukraine and Russia, but there appeared to be little chance of a breakthrough to end the 15-month-long invasion.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government says it is neutral and wants to play a role as mediator, but has given Moscow political support. Beijing released a proposed peace plan in February, but that was largely dismissed by Ukraine’s allies, who insist Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces must withdraw.
Li Hui, a former ambassador to Moscow, also will visit Poland, France and Germany, according to the foreign ministry. It gave no other schedule details.
Political analysts see little hope for a peace agreement because neither Ukraine nor Russia is ready to stop fighting. They say by sending an envoy, China appears to be trying to neutralize criticism of its friendship with Putin and to split European allies away from Washington.
Xi spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by phone in April, setting the stage for the diplomatic push.
The trip “expresses China’s commitment to promoting peace and negotiations,” foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Friday. Wang said China wishes to prevent an “escalation of the situation.”
Beijing previously avoided involvement in conflicts between other countries but appears to be asserting itself as a global diplomatic force after arranging
talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran in March that led them to restore diplomatic relations following a seven-year break.
China has friendly relations with Moscow as well as economic leverage as the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas after the United States and its allies cut off most purchases.
Xi’s government sees Moscow as a diplomatic partner in opposing US domination of global affairs. Beijing has refused to criticize the February 2022 invasion and used its status as one of five permanent United Nations Security Council members to deflect diplomatic attacks on Russia.
Li Hui, a former ambassador to Moscow, also will visit Poland, France and Germany, according to the foreign ministry. It gave no other schedule details.
Political analysts see little hope for a peace agreement because neither Ukraine nor Russia is ready to stop fighting. They say by sending an envoy, China appears to be trying to neutralize criticism of its friendship with Putin and to split European allies away from Washington.
Xi spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by phone in April, setting the stage for the diplomatic push.
The trip “expresses China’s commitment to promoting peace and negotiations,” foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Friday. Wang said China wishes to prevent an “escalation of the situation.”
Beijing previously avoided involvement in conflicts between other countries but appears to be asserting itself as a global diplomatic force after arranging
talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran in March that led them to restore diplomatic relations following a seven-year break.
China has friendly relations with Moscow as well as economic leverage as the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas after the United States and its allies cut off most purchases.
Xi’s government sees Moscow as a diplomatic partner in opposing US domination of global affairs. Beijing has refused to criticize the February 2022 invasion and used its status as one of five permanent United Nations Security Council members to deflect diplomatic attacks on Russia.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
