China has announced its own initiative to end Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. “We’ll come up with something. Namely the Chinese position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis,” China’s top foreign policy leader Wang Yi said at the security conference in Munich on Saturday, according to the official translation. “We will stand firm on the side of peace and dialogue.”
He also criticized forces that he saw as pursuing geopolitical interests and giving less importance to the suffering of the people in Ukraine. Whether this is criticism of Western states’ military support for Ukraine remained unclear, just as he avoided a precise assessment of Russia’s responsibility.
For a safer world, “the principles of the UN Charter are something we must uphold,” Wang said. The chaos and conflicts that are wracking the world at the moment have been provoked because the principles of the UN Charter have not been upheld.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock generally welcomed China’s announcement that it would bring about a peaceful solution in Ukraine. “As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has an obligation to use its influence to secure world peace,” Baerbock said. She spoke to Wang Yi about this on Friday. “Yesterday we spoke intensively about what a just peace means – not that you reward the aggressor, but that you stand up for international law and for those who have been attacked.”
A just peace presupposes “that the one who violated territorial integrity, namely Russia, withdraws its troops from the occupied country,” said the Greens politician in Munich. “World peace is based on the fact that we all recognize the territorial integrity and sovereignty of each country.” At the same time, however, it is also clear that “every chance” for peace must be used.
Without a complete withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukraine, there is no chance of an end to the war, said Baerbock. “Even if it’s difficult”, all demands to end the war by ceding territory to Russia are unacceptable. “That would mean that we make the people prey to Russia. We will not do that.” Russian President Vladimir Putin should not be rewarded for his war of aggression, also to prevent imitators.
US Vice President Kamala Harris warned China not to militarily help Russia. Doing so would only encourage China’s aggression, she said. Relations between Moscow and Beijing have strengthened since the Russian attack.
Wang strongly criticized the launch of a suspected Chinese spy balloon by US forces. “It’s, I would say, absurd and hysterical,” he said. “This is a 100% abuse of the use of force. It is a violation of international rules.” The US violated the Chicago Convention on Civil Aviation by shooting it down.
Almost two weeks ago, the US military shot down a suspected spy balloon over the Atlantic off the coast of the state of South Carolina. The United States accuses China of wanting to spy on military installations. Beijing, on the other hand, speaks of a civilian research balloon that has gone off course. The incident caused additional tension in the already strained relationship.
At the security conference in Munich, the “semi-private exchange in the back rooms” played an important role, says WELT chief commentator Jacques Schuster. Especially when dealing with China, “the back rooms are important”.
Source: WORLD
