Chairman's visit to the Russian Federation The People's Republic of China (PRC) Xi Jinping showed that China wants peace in Ukraine, but Beijing will not put forward «unrealistic demands» in this regard, writes the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
According to experts, China's proposals to end the Russian-Ukrainian conflict may be an attempt to counter criticism that Beijing supports Moscow and demonstrate that it is instead pro-peace. The article notes that the peace proposals of the Chinese side were perceived in the West as pro-Russian because of their unwillingness to condemn Russia and ask her to leave Ukrainian territory.
China Peace Efforts – an attempt to correct its position after last year's statement that relations with the Russian Federation have no borders, which caused a huge amount of criticism, the publication says. “China's position is clear. We stand for the world. If China decides to side with Russia and help her in the fight against Ukraine, then, obviously, this will also not benefit China's relations with the US and Europe», – Relations of Sichuan University Pan Zhongying.
It is emphasized that China is now under severe pressure from EU leaders who urge it to use its influence on Moscow to end the conflict. The People's Republic of China is likely to face even more pressure in 2023, given the upcoming summits with European leaders, said Wang Yiwei, professor of international relations at Renmin University. At the same time, according to the analyst, China has no illusions about what it can achieve in the Ukrainian issue and expects not an instant cessation of hostilities, but a consensus that satisfied all parties.
According to the expert, Chinese President Xi Jinping will not make «unrealistic demands» that Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky will not accept at this stage. Wang Yiwei pointed out that the outcome of the conflict is not yet clear, and China will not be able to stand on one side and resist the other. «He will also not put forward any unrealistic demands regarding territories and the withdrawal of troops,» the professor concluded.