China backs Trump’s Ukraine peace bid at G-20 as US allies rally behind Zelensky
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says Beijing is willing to continue playing a constructive role in the political resolution of the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Follow topic:
BEIJING – China on Feb 20 at a Group of 20 (G-20) meeting in South Africa came out in support of US President Donald Trump’s bid to strike a deal with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, while US allies rallied around Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Less than a month into his presidency, Mr Trump has upended US policy on the war, scrapping a campaign to isolate Moscow with a phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin
Mr Trump on Feb 19 denounced Mr Zelensky as a “dictator”,
“China supports all efforts conducive to peace (in Ukraine), including the recent consensus reached between the United States and Russia,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told other G-20 foreign ministers gathered in Johannesburg, according to a statement from his ministry. “China is willing to continue playing a constructive role in the political resolution of the crisis.”
Mr Wang did not repeat the point he made at the Munich Security Conference on Feb 14 that all stakeholders in the Russia-Ukraine conflict should participate in any peace talks.
Dr Cui Hongjian, head of European Union studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said: “China is generally happy to see the easing of relations between the United States and Russia and the shift of the Ukrainian crisis to a political solution, but will pay close attention to the direction of negotiations and the direction of easing of US-Russian relations.
“If China participates in mediation, it can reduce the risk of the United States using the easing of relations with Russia to harm China’s interests.”
He added that Mr Wang’s previous remark that all stakeholders should be included in talks covers not only Ukraine and Europe, but also China and Global South countries. Global South countries refer to developing, emerging or lower-income nations, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.
However, other analysts are sceptical of China’s substantive involvement beyond rhetorical statements at this stage, given Beijing’s aversion to taking geopolitical risks.
China is “happy not to be called on the spot to deliver” because it does not know what Mr Trump will demand, said Mr Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Centre.
“Trump wanted China’s involvement initially, but now he has spoken to Putin. He is under the impression that he doesn’t need China to get a deal with Putin, and Putin will give him a perfect and better deal going forward.”
Mr Wang, during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting, said China-Russia relations are “moving towards a higher level and broader dimension”.
Both men will meet in Moscow soon for their next talks, Mr Lavrov said earlier on Feb 20.
Other analysts believe that China wants to keep a foot in the door of negotiations because it wants to take part in Ukraine’s reconstruction.
“China might turn its attention to discussing a Chinese role in eventual reconstruction and peacekeeping – something that would give Beijing a significantly more vested interest in European security architecture,” said Ms Ruby Osman, a China expert at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
The Trump administration said on Feb 18 that it has agreed to hold more talks with Russia on ending the nearly three-year-long conflict, after a 4½-hour meeting in Saudi Arabia.
Russia said the talks have been useful, but hardened its demands
